'Mastermind' in Chandrasekharan murder case surrenders

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A local CPI-M leader, suspected to be the mastermind in the murder of Marxist rebel T.P. Chandrasekharan that has deeply embarrassed the Communist party, surrendered in a court here on Saturday.

After absconding for over a month, P.K. Kunhananthan, a CPI-M area committee member from Panur in Kannur district, turned up at the Vatakara judicial magistrate court in Kozhikode district along with some local CPI-M functionaries and surrendered.

He was remanded in 10 days police custody as investigators sought his custody for further interrogation to unravel the conspiracy behind the murder of Chandrasekharan at nearby Vallikkad on May 4.

Based on clues obtained from those already arrested, the special investigation team had been on the lookout for Kunhananthan, who allegedly master-minded the plot to eliminate Chandrasekharan, who had become an irritant for CPI-M after he floated a parallel left outfit called Revolutionary Marxist Party on quitting the party a few years back.

According to police, Kunhananthan fled his home town to outside the state soon after the murder before returning to Kerala. He is alleged to have played a key role in engaging a hit squad to kill Chandrasekharan.

A court in Thalassery had earlier this week rejected his anticipatory bail plea. Besides the members of the killer gang, known locally as 'quotation team', several CPI-M workers from parts of Kozhikode and Kannur district had been arrested in connection with the case.

The murder has severely embarrassed CPI-M, more so after a local leader M.M. Mani spoke about the party drawing up lists and eliminating political rivals in the past.

He was removed from the party post for his controversial comments after it led to outrage in political circles.