In Kerala, RSS worker murdered by SDPI members in Alappuzha; BJP alleges Left-Jihadi nexus

In yet another incident of political violence, an RSS worker was allegedly killed by members of SDPI at Vayalar in Alappuzha, Kerala on Wednesday. RSS Mukhya Shikshak Nandu Krishan was allegedly murdered by SDPI members after a scuffle broke out between the SDPI and RSS workers. Eight workers of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) have been taken into custody in connection with the killing of the RSS worker, police said on Thursday

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RSS worker killed allegedly by SDPI workers

RSS workers and SDPI were involved in a scuffle on Wednesday over the latter's speech that was allegedly made along the communal lines. Both groups took out a protest rally following which a scuffle broke out between the groups, forcing the police to intervene. SDPI workers reportedly hurled provocative statements about RSS and indulged in a war of words with their workers in front of the Nagam Kulangara market. 

The SDPI workers reportedly reorganized after the initial scuffle and attacked the RSS workers, allegedly killing Nandu Krishna while chopping off another RSS worker's hand. The scuffle between the groups also left 3 SDPI members injured who were rushed to a government hospital nearby. The incident occurred at around 6.30 pm on Wednesday. Issuing a statement on the murder, Kerala Police said, 'the man, identified as Nandu, was killed in the clash between the RSS and SDPI in Nagamkulangara near Cherthala Few people have been injured in the incident". 

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The RSS worker's murder was condemned by BJP leaders, who alleged a 'Jihadi-left nexus' in Kerala. Kerala BJP president K Surendran claimed that a group of armed radicals entered Nandu's house and hacked him to death. BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya labelled Nandu's killing as a murderous assault and accused the Pinyari Vijayan government of looking the other way while the SDPI were shouting provocative slogans at Vayalar. Meanwhile, Kerala BJP and pro-Hindu outfits have called for a 6 am to 6 pm shutdown in Allapuzha to protest against the murder of the RSS worker. 

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Earlier, the Popular Front of India (PFI) took out a rally in which persons dressed like RSS cadres and British soldiers were chained and paraded on the street in the Mallapuram district. The street play, which was supposed to be a representation of the 1921 Mapila revolt against the British, saw men dressed as RSS cadres and British soldiers chained and being paraded on the streets followed by PFI members. In the video, PFI members brandishing sticks can be seen marching along with chants of 'Allahu Akbar. 

PFI general secretary Anis Ahmed claimed that it was a street play carried out by members who attended the outfit's rally. The PFI office-bearer claimed that it was a representation of the revolt of the Malabar against the British. On the contrary, PFI's street play showed RSS men being chained and tied to ropes alongside British soldiers. The Malabar rebellion shook Kerala in 1921 where communal clashes erupted between the Hindus and Muslims in the state while the colonial government was also targeted by the minority community.

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