In a shocking and deeply disturbing act, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPIM)organised a send-off ceremony for its party criminals convicted in the brutal leg-chopping attack of Rajya Sabha MP Sadanandan Master. The event, attended by former health minister and current MLA K.K. Shailaja, stands as a blatant glorification of political violence and a disgrace to the rule of law, drawing sharp condemnation from across the political and civil spectrum.
The incident took place at the Pazhassi South Local Committee office in Mattanur in Kannur district, where CPIM workers gathered in solidarity with the eight party members convicted in the 1994 attempted murder case. The media have obtained exclusive footage showing CPIM members raising slogans in support of the convicts as they prepared to surrender before the court.
K.K. Shailaja MLA, who was present at the event, is now at the centre of controversy for attending a ceremony that essentially celebrated the criminals who had been sentenced to seven years of imprisonment. The visuals show Shailaja standing alongside the convicted, who were treated not as criminals facing justice, but as heroes returning from a political mission.
സി സദാനന്ദന് എംപിയുടെ കാല് വെട്ടിയ കേസ്; പ്രതികള്ക്ക് CPIM ലോക്കല് കമ്മിറ്റി ഓഫീസില് യാത്രയയപ്പ്, ദൃശ്യങ്ങള് റിപ്പോര്ട്ടറിന്#csadanandan #CPIM #reporterlive #BJP pic.twitter.com/61ZOglxcde
— Reporter Live (@reporter_tv) August 4, 2025
The convicts were found guilty of the brutal assault on MP Sadanandan Master, which took place on the night of January 25, 1994. As he was returning home near Mattanur in Kannur district, a group of CPIM workers attacked him with deadly weapons, chopping off both his legs. The assailants also hurled homemade bombs to disperse onlookers and threatened local residents against taking him to the hospital. Master, a school teacher at the time, was eventually rescued and rushed to the hospital by the police.
The trial court had earlier convicted eight accused in the case. After a prolonged legal battle that spanned over three decades, their appeals were rejected by the Supreme Court. The convicted were on bail pending appeal, but after the final rejection by the apex court, they were directed to surrender. The last date to appear was today, following which they presented themselves before the Thalassery court and are scheduled to be transferred to the Kannur Central Jail by the afternoon.
The send-off ceremony held before their surrender, organised by the CPIM at its Pazhassi and Kannur Uruvachal local committee offices, and even outside the court premises, is being widely seen as a deliberate affront to the Indian legal system, the judiciary, and the very principles of democracy.
MP Sadanandan Master reacted strongly to the CPIM’s actions, expressing deep disappointment and anguish. “It is unfortunate that such a grand send-off was organised for those going to jail after being convicted of attempting to murder me. And it is even more unfortunate that an elected MLA like K.K. Shailaja participated in such a programme. It sends the wrong message to society,” he said.
Master emphasised that justice was long delayed but finally delivered, even if it took 31 years. He reiterated that the clash in a civilised society should be between ideas and not weapons. “The court itself noted that commuting the sentence would send the wrong message to the society. And today, what the CPIM has done only reinforces that concern,” he added.
ആര്എസ്എസ് നേതാവ് സി. സദാനന്ദൻ വധശ്രമ കേസിലെ പ്രതികളായ സിപിഎം പ്രവര്ത്തകര്ക്ക് ജയിലിലേക്ക് യാത്രയയപ്പ്; ചടങ്ങിൽ പങ്കെടുത്ത് കെകെ ശൈലജ
🔗 https://t.co/wAonTkrQB3 #CSadanandanMurderAttemptCase #CPM #KKShailaja pic.twitter.com/m9zRjysy9B— Asianet News (@AsianetNewsML) August 4, 2025
He also pointed out that the court had questioned the Kerala government on why no appeal had been filed on behalf of the victim. While the current law and order situation in Kannur is peaceful, Master warned that actions like these by the CPIM have the potential to reignite the violence that the region has long struggled to overcome.
“The participation of a sitting MLA in such an event is not just irresponsible, it is a dishonour to our law and order system, and to the Constitution itself,” Master remarked.
Outside the court, CPIM workers once again gathered to show support to the convicted, greeting them with clenched fists and celebratory gestures. Such public glorification of violence and those convicted by the judiciary has sparked widespread criticism, particularly from civil society and legal experts who see this as a dangerous precedent.
The convicted criminals, all CPIM members, had been found guilty of a horrific crime that left a man disabled for life. Treating them as political martyrs rather than criminals only emboldens a culture of impunity and political violence. The CPIM’s send-off not only undermines the pain and suffering of the victim but also signals a complete disregard for the democratic fabric of the nation.
As the convicts are shifted to Kannur Central Jail, questions remain on whether the Kerala government and ruling CPIM leadership will take accountability for this public spectacle. Will party leaders disavow the celebration of violence? Or will silence continue to be their only response to the shame brought upon the state and its institutions?
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