Sasikumar murder probe goes to CB-CID

Police said the investigation into the September 22 murder of 36-year-old Hindu Munnani functionary C Sasikumar has been transferred to the CrimeBranch CID wing. BJP cadre were detained in Chennai for trying to stage a protest to condemn the murder without police permission, sources said. 

The murder had triggered violent protests in Coimbatore, while several BJP senior leaders had condemned the incident, saying that of late Hindu outfit leaders were being targeted in the state. In fact, the Coimbatore incident is reportedly the fifth attack on Hindu outfit leaders in the State. 

Replying to a specific question on reasons behind attacks on leaders of Hindu outfits, Radhakrishnan during his visit to Sasikumar’s house this week, said it has to be taken into account that a few days after “Pakistan-sponsored attack at Uri”, Coimbatore witnessed the murder of a Hindu outfit functionary, which was “undoubtedly a terrorist activity.” 

“Considering this, police have to investigate the link and if there is any, there is the possibility of this being an act of anti-national activity,” Radhakrishnan told reporters here, after visiting the house of Sasikumar, who was murdered on September 22. 

“Police failed to see through the designs of terrorists, who are on the run and could have taken precautionary measures to prevent the fatal attack,” he said. 

Hindu outfit leaders were being targeted since 1989, which reached its peak in 1998 serial blasts, killing 58 people, during the visit of BJP leader LK Advani here, the Minister said. The incident was not a religious one as leaders of all religions were present at the Government Hospital, where the body was kept and communal violence could have erupted as thousands of workers of Hindu outfits were present there, he claimed. 

He alleged that police had failed to provide protection to Sasikumar, despite attacks on leaders of Hindu outfits at Hosur and Dindigul over the past two weeks.

H Raja had on Tuesday slammed the police for their “failure” to nab the culprits and sought a CBI probe into the murder.