New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Shamnad E K alias Shamnad Illikkal, the prime accused in the S K Srinivasan murder case. Srinivasan, a former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office-bearer, was murdered by a six-member gang at his motorcycle shop in Melamuri, Palakkad, in Kerala, on April 16, 2022.
The NIA took up the matter and has so far filed chargesheets against 63 people in this case. Investigations revealed that the murder was the handiwork of the Popular Front of India (PFI) that was banned in September 2022, on charges of terrorism.
Shamnad was on the run for nearly three years and a reward of Rs 7 lakh had been announced for his arrest. An accused in several other cases, he was finally arrested by the NIA’s Absconder Tracking Team from Ernakulum, Kerala.
According to the NIA, Shamnad was provided shelter by members of the PFI and living under an assumed identity. According to the investigation, the conspiracy to murder Srinivasan was hatched by PFI leaders and cadres with the aim to create a communal divide in the area.
“The outfit was engaged in radicalizing vulnerable Muslim youth to promote its violent agenda of establishing Islamic Rule in India by 2047. The recruits were trained in handling weapons by PFI, which was also actively raising funds for carrying out acts of terror and violence in the country. The banned outfit was executing its nefarious activities through multiple wings and units, such as ‘Reporters Wing’, ‘Physical and Arms Training Wing’ and ‘Service Teams’, it has been revealed in our investigations,” an NIA official said.
Investigations have further revealed that the PFI was using its various campuses, facilities and infrastructure to impart arms training to selected cadres in the guise of physical education and yoga training.
