MLA’s remark on 2012 murder triggers a row

CPI(M) legislator AN Shamseer landed the party in trouble when he ‘admitted’ to its role in the killing of Muslim League worker Arayil Shukoor in 2012.

In a TV debate on Friday night, the MLA from Thalasserry said, “Shukoor’s was not a planned murder. He was attacked by a mob. That was crowd psychology. Neither we justified it nor denied any connection in the killing.”

However, he later clarified that his comment was a “slip of the tongue” and he was wrongly quoted by the media.

Muslim Youth League worker Shukoor, 19, was killed in retaliation to an attack on CPI(M) Kannur district secretary P Jayarajan’s murder in Thaliparambha. After the incident, Shukoor was caught by an alleged CPI(M) mob and his role was verified with an MMS made during the attack. He was then killed in the presence of over 100 party workers.

Reacting to Shamseer’s statement, Muslim League MLA KM Shaji said: “The legislator openly admitted to the party’s role in the cold-blooded murder of a youth. We will move the CBI soon to record his statement. It shows the party leadership was aware of the murder.”

He added, “CPI(M) workers terrorise minorities in party villages and outside, they don the image of the protector. The killing of Youth Congress worker Shuhaib is a classic example of their double standard.”

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: