RSS karyakartas and members of Sangh-inspired organisations observed, on September 1, the 12th Balidan Divas of RSS Kannur Zilla Sareerik Pramukh Katiroor Manoj, who was brutally murdered on September 1, 2014. The programme was held at at his Smrithimandapam, where hundreds of workers gathered to pay homage to the departed soul.
Hundreds of workers got together to pay homage to the departed soul. It was an Anusmaran Sanghikh, and all present paid floral tributes at the Smritimandapam.
RSS Uttar Keralam functionaries Aneesh and Sureshbabu and several leaders addressed the gathering. Senior leaders of several Sangh-inspired organisations were also present to pay floral tributes.
They include former Keralam Pranth Pracharak P.R. Sasidharan, former union minister and senior BJP leader V. Muraleedharan MLA and several BJP leaders.
Those who spoke on the occasion lauded the idealistic life Katiroor Manoj led. They all emphasised that the martyrdom of Manoj would not go futile. He sacrificed his life for the cause of the Motherland and Hindu samaj.
Due to serious political dimensions, the case of Katiroor Manoj was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). CBI invoked the Unlawful Activities I(Prevention) Act (UAPA) in this case.
Manoj was one of the most dynamic RSS workers in Kannur district. He worked hard to run the Sangh activities in the entire district despite the dangerous CPM murder politics which they unleashed on April 28, 1969 by killing innocent young RSS worker Vadakkal Ramakrishnan.
The CBI chargesheet named senior CPM leader P. Jayarajan as the 25th accused and the principal conspirator behind this inhuman murder. The first accused along with 14 other co-accused individuals, were granted bail by the Kerala High Court in 2021 after serving over six years in custody pending trial.
Trial proceedings have faced periodic delays due to ongoing legal appeals regarding the framework of the charges.
After the Keralam High Court rejected P. Jayarajan’s anticipatory bail plea on February 12, 2016, Jayarajan surrendered before the Thalassery court.
He was promptly admitted to Pariyaram Medical College Hospital as he complained about cardiac issues, and later shifted to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.
Because of his hospitalizations, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) faced delays in custodial interrogation and later scrutinized his medical records, even investigating allegations that initial medical documents from local hospitals had been altered or tampered with to prolong his medical stay.
