CPM political displays again at Kannur temple festival

A temple festival in Kannur's Vengad grama panchayat became a stage for political demonstrations as CPI-M  supporters marched with flags bearing images of nine party workers recently convicted for the 2005 murder of Bharatiya Janata Party activist Suraj. The procession took place at the Parambayi Sree Kuttichathan Math temple festival, approximately 10 km from Thalassery.
On March 24, the Thalassery Sessions Court sentenced eight CPM workers to life imprisonment and another to three years for their involvement in Suraj's killing. The convicted individuals include T.K. Rajeesh, N.V. Yagesh, K. Shamjith, Neyyoth Sajeevan, Prabhakaran, K.V. Padmanabhan, Manoraj Narayanan, and Manombeth Radhakrishnan. The eleventh accused, Pradeepan, received a three-year term. Rajeesh was also implicated in the assassination of Revolutionary Marxist Party leader T.P. Chandrasekharan.
Suraj, aged 32, was murdered on August 7, 2005, in front of the Muzhappilangad telephone exchange. Assailants arrived in an autorickshaw, deployed a crude bomb to create a smokescreen, and then hacked him to death. Six months prior, Suraj had survived another attempt on his life. During the 19-year trial, two accused individuals died, and a tenth was acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
Following the verdict, CPM Kannur district secretary M.V. Jayarajan declared the convicts "innocent" and pledged to pursue legal avenues to "protect them." This sentiment was visibly echoed during the temple festival procession.
Temple festivals in the region have become arenas for political rivalry between the CPM and BJP. In February, clashes erupted during the Manolikavu temple festival in Thalassery, leading to police intervention and subsequent arrests. Two police sub-inspectors who took action against the CPM workers involved were later transferred from the Thalassery police station. Additionally, in March, five CPM workers were arrested for allegedly attacking BJP-RSS worker Shaju Chaluparambath near Poyiloor following the Muthappan Madappura festival. Open URL