Popular Malayalam journalist S.V Pradeep (43) was killed on Monday in a hit and run incident which happened in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Known to be a vocal critic of the LDF government and the growing Islamic fundamentalism in Kerala, Pradeep had received life threats both online and offline.
Pradeep was travelling on his scooter when a tipper lorry which came from behind hit his vehicle and went on without stopping. Netizens allege that his death was a well-planned murder and called for a CBI enquiry into the incident since they have no trust in Kerala police which comes under the LDF government.
Pradeep, a veteran journalist has worked with major media outlets like News 18, Jai Hind, Mediaone, Mangalam and Kairali. Later he worked with certain online media houses. He had done several news breakings on the gold smuggling case which directly pointed fingers at the state government.
Netizens believe that it was a planned murder as his media activism earned his plenty of enemies. He dared to take on both Communists and Jihadists in his reports. Various social media accounts allegedly owned by CPM cyber wing expressed their happiness over Pradeep’s death. His mother has lodged a complaint at Nemom police station for a detailed enquiry into the incident.
Union Minister V. Muraleedharan, BJP Kerala president K Surendran, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and other political leaders have called for a detailed investigation to find the real culprits. The Kerala police have seized a lorry in connection with the incident.
