The death of a headload worker at Peechi has put the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in a spot.
K.G. Saji, 48, allegedly committed suicide at his house in Peechi on Monday. His relatives alleged that he took the extreme step due to threats from local leaders of the the CPI(M).
A suicide note got from his body has mention about the threat from the local leaders. According to his brother Biju, Saji had questioned alleged corruption by party leaders in the collection of money for building a bridge in the area.
In protest, Saji quit the CITU (Centre of Indian Trade Unions) and formed an independent union. He had been working without CITU uniform for the past five to six months. “Formation of a new union irked CPI(M) workers and the party branch secretary and local secretary had threatened Saji of dire consequences,” Mr. Biju said. Following pressure from the local leadership, some of the workers went back to the CITU.
He alleged that CPI(M) leaders’ threat was the reason for his brother’s death and demanded that the police register a case against them for abetment to suicide. There were no other personal or financial issues for Saji, he said.
Though he had quit the CITU, Saji did not join any other party. He urged the party leadership to remove the corrupt local leaders. Saji was in severe mental stress for the past one week, his relatives said. There were mention about two local leaders in his suicide note.
Meanwhile, Saji’s suicide led to clash between party workers at Peechi. A few workers were injured. Party flags were destroyed and glass windows of the CPI(M) branch office at Peechi were broken.
