The police security across the district has been strengthened in the light of two brutal murders within 24 hours. Tension prevailed in the district, where prohibitory orders were in place since Saturday night. About 500 police personnel from Coimbatore were deployed at sensitive areas, apart from a battalion of police from Ernakulam.
About 50 Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) activists were taken into preventive custody. They were arrested at different police stations in the district.
The police said they had intensified patrolling and set up pickets in all sensitive areas. Although 2,000 personnel, including armed personnel, were deployed across the district, police officials said that more force would be brought in from neighbouring districts if the situation warranted.
Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) in charge of law and order Vijay Sakhare is camping in Palakkad to oversee not only the security arrangements but also the investigation into the murders that took place on Friday and Saturday.
SDPI worker A. Subair was hacked to death by a gang at Elappully on Friday afternoon. In an apparent retaliatory move, RSS worker S.K. Sreenivasan was murdered by a gang at Melamuri in Palakkad town around the same time on Saturday.
The police and the government faced criticism for preventing the second murder, in spite of warnings of an immediate backlash after the killing of Subair on Vishu day.
A meeting of officers convened by Mr. Sakhare here on Sunday evaluated the situation, and found that the progress of the investigation was satisfactory.
The police said they were examining the details of all persons staying in hotels and lodgings across the district. “We want to leave no stone unturned,” said a senior officer after the meeting.
Prohibitory orders will continue in the district until Wednesday afternoon. The police said they had taken all precautions to avoid the recurrence of any political clash. Anyone found in suspicious circumstances could be arrested.
Minister for Power K. Krishnankutty has convened an all-party meeting at the Collectorate here on Monday afternoon to discuss the ways to ease tension and to bring back the district to normalcy. The meeting will discuss ways to re-establish communal and political harmony in the district.
BJP State president K. Surendran said they had not decided whether or not to take part in the meeting.
