Five RSS workers have been arrested for hacking left-wing youth activists in Ambadimukku, Kannur, on Onam eve.

C V Kiran (26), P P Jithin (28), V V Jishnu (20), Praneesh Premdas (22) and a 17-year old boy were arrested on Thursday. They are accused of having attacked activists of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) on Sunday.

According to reports, the incident began with RSS worker Kiran creating a ruckus without provocation in Ambadimukku. Following this, 17 members of an RSS criminal gang in Edachovva known as ‘Orange Team’, came in four motorcycles and two scooters to the RSS office near Talap temple. There they reportedly hatched the conspiracy for the attack, along with Maitheri Rajeesh who was also present in the spot. Two members of this group did the reconnaissance job for the attack by checking that DYFI activists were present in the town centre.

While the ‘Orange Team’ carried out the attack on the DYFI activists, another group of local RSS workers enacted an alibi in front of a CCTV camera nearby. Their intention was to divert the investigation away from them. But the investigation team led by Kannur town Circle Inspector T.K. Ratnakaran exposed the ruse.

Maitheri Rajeesh, one of the arrested RSS activists, is reportedly an accused in many cases.

Ambadimukku, which used to be a stronghold of the RSS until a few years ago, has become a CPI(M) stronghold now. The transition began in 2014, when 190 BJP activists in the area left that party to join organisations affiliated to the CPI(M).

DYFI activists Prashanthan, Vaisakh and Unni were injured in the attacks on Onam eve. Prasanthan was stabbed on his hip and head. The other two have injuries on their head.

The four accused RSS workers have been remanded after being taken to the court. The 17-year old accused was taken to the Juvenile Court in Thalassery.