india

Updated: Sep 22, 2019 18:15 IST

A 38-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker succumbed to his burn injuries on Sunday after he set himself on fire in north Kerala’s Kozhikode following alleged torture by a group of CPI(M) trade union workers.

Angry BJP workers staged a sit-in protest in Elathur with Rajesh’s body, alleging police laxity. They agreed to cremate it after senior police officers agreed to a speedy investigation.

Police said the incident took place three days ago and that they have booked 10 people and arrested two in connection with the case. They added Rajesh had doused himself with petrol and put himself on fire suffering 60% burns.

A witness said Rajesh was brutally assaulted by CITU workers just before his suicide bid.

Rajesh reportedly told a magistrate in his dying declaration that he took the extreme step after drivers belonging to CITU, the CPI(M) trade union wing, attacked him several times and did not allow him to park his auto-rickshaw inside the Elathur auto stand.

He said he had bought the vehicle after taking a loan from the bank and was really upset with recurring attacks and threats.

The BJP’s state unit general secretary K Surendran said it was “another example of CPI(M) high-handedness”

“He was attacked several times and police did not take any action against CITU goons. He was not allowed to live forcing him to commit suicide. Such incidents are regular in party-controlled areas,” said the BJP’s state unit general secretary K Surendran after visiting his house.

Rajesh’s relatives said they don’t have any faith in the local police and sought an independent probe by a central agency. They said he used to work as a mussel collector and switched over to driving after mussel supply dwindled.

“He was not allowed to live and forced to commit suicide,” one of his uncles said.

Rajesh is survived by his wife and old parents.

The CPI(M), however, tried to distance itself from the incident, saying it was a purely local issue and no politics was involved.