Panunda Chandran was the second Balidani of RSS after V Ramakishnan. “My brother was murdered at Sanghasthan while attending a Shakha. He was the Mukhya Shikshak of Panunda Shakha,” Purushu, younger brother of Chandran said.
Purushu recalled his elder brother’s story. “He was hardly 18 year old when he was murdered. He brought several communists into RSS fold. My family was a communist. The CPM can never tolerate a communist gets converted into a swayamsevak.” The murder took place on September 2, 1978.
Chandran was an active SFI worker in Brennen College, Thalassery. Later he joined ABVP. “After his murder, our whole family distanced from CPM,”
said Purushu. The murder was
perpetrated by local CPM goons. For them, a communist cadre gets converted into a swayamsevak is not acceptable. Such people are eliminated, a villager confirms.
One of his contemporaries still remembers the day, “A group of four CPM goons dashed into the Shakha that evening. They swung the sword and attacked Chandran, an innocent teenager, brutally.” At that time, transportation facilities were few. So they took him in their bare hands to the main road to avail some vehicle to the hospital.” He insisted on searching for another swayamsevak, Ravi, who was also injured. At last, he succumbed to the injuries.” Ravi is now running a stationery store in the same village.
The police had filed charge sheet against four people but the case was quashed by the lower court citing lack of evidence. The prime accused was Aali Radhakrishnan, a local CPM leader. Despite old age and deteriorating health, Chandran’s 87 year old father Nanu remembers his son as a brilliant student. He had completed his pre-degree course and joined MG College. They killed him on his first day in college. None of his murders were punished. Now he is a chronic diabetes patient and under insulin therapy. “Look, my one leg and hand have been paralysed.” He made a futile attempt to raise his hand. Nanu wishes if his elder son was there to looking after him.
The Sanghasthan where Chandran was murdered was a private property. After that, in the course of time, the land fell into many hands. Now swayamsevaks purchased that land and planning to build a worthy memorial for Chandran, may be in the form a Karyalaya. n
