Thodupuzha (Kerala), Sep 1 ( IANS) The Kerala police have arrested four men in connection with the case related to an attempt to murder popular journalist Shajan Skaria, officials said.

The accused were tracked down while hiding in Bengaluru. The police said one more suspect is still at large, while the alleged mastermind, CPI-M worker Mathews Kollappilly, is already in custody.

The arrests were made by a special Thodupuzha police team after investigators traced the suspects through social media activity and mobile phone locations.

Police said the gang fled Kerala soon after the attack, prompting a search across state borders.

The incident took place on Saturday night at Mangattukavala near Thodupuzha, when Skaria was returning from a wedding function.

His car was hit from behind by a Thar jeep, after which a five-member gang assaulted him. Visuals of the attack surfaced later, sparking widespread outrage.

Skaria has alleged that the attack was a premeditated attempt to kill him. “Those who cannot face me legally are trying to silence me physically. The attackers came with a clear intent to murder,” he told the media.

He identified Kollappilly and four other CPM workers as members of the gang, claiming they tried to pull him out of his vehicle to kill him.

Police said Kollappilly had posted on Facebook soon after the incident, but deleted it within hours. The post, however, provided crucial leads to the investigators.

Officials added that Skaria was closely followed from Thiruvananthapuram to Thodupuzha before the assault, indicating a well-planned conspiracy.

Skaria alleged that multiple attempts had been made on his life earlier and described the Thodupuzha incident as the “climax” of a prolonged campaign against him.

Police have charged the accused with an attempt to murder and related offences.

A search is on for the remaining suspect. Skaria has been very vocal through his online videos and his reports targeting the CPI-M in Kerala and its top leadership, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

–IANS

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