P K Kunjananthan member of CPI (M) from Kannur who was convicted in a political murder case and sentenced to life imprisonment, died of an intestinal infection at Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram. He was given a hero’s farewell by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the CPI (M) party, despite Kunjananthan being a convict.
In January 2014, now late Kunjananthan, along with 11 others, was held guilty in the murder of CPI (M) rebel leader T P Chandrasekharan. The Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) leader was hacked to death by a gang of assailants in Kozhikode on May 4, 2012.
Kunjananthan and the others were sentenced to life imprisonment in 2014 by a Kozhikode court .He was out on bail on health grounds at the time of death.
CM Pinarayi Vijayan led party leaders in condoling Kunjananthan’s death. Vijayan hailed the deceased leader as “a comrade who had selflessly loved the party and exhibited concern towards society. As a social worker, he had won the acceptance and love of all sections of people in Panur”.
State minister and CPI (M) central committee member E P Jayarajan said, “Defending the attacks of rivals, Kunjananthan had played a crucial role in building up CPI(M) at Panur region. He had deep love towards party.’’
At Panur many other CPI (M) party leaders paid last respect to Kunjananthan by observing a hartal.