Attack on ED team: Arrest count rises to seven as two more CPI(M) activists apprehended

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Police have arrested two more CPI(M) activists in connection with the violent assault on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials during the raid at the residence of Leader of the Opposition, Pinarayi Vijayan. The suspects, identified as Kiran from Naruvamoodu and Anil from Vattiyoorkavu, bring the total number of arrests in the case to seven. Sources indicate that another individual has also been detained for questioning, following the initial arrest of five suspects late last night.

The incident has escalated to the national level, with the Union Home Ministry and the Finance Ministry demanding an immediate, comprehensive report on the security breakdown. According to central intelligence agencies, local police exhibited severe lapses in managing law and order during the high-profile operation. Meanwhile, ED officials have briefed their top directorate, maintaining that the confrontation was not a spontaneous outburst but a well-orchestrated ambush.

The violence erupted just as the national agency concluded its search operations and prepared to exit the Opposition Leader's Thiruvananthapuram residence. A mob of CPI(M) workers reportedly intercepted the convoy, severely damaging an official vehicle and leaving an ED officer and their driver injured. Following a formal complaint lodged by the central team at the local police station, authorities registered a case charging the suspects with attempt to murder. The subsequent investigation led law enforcement to the CPI(M) Area Committee Office in Palayam, where four of the accused had reportedly sought refuge. A tense standoff ensued as local party leaders and workers initially blocked the police from entering the premises. However, faced with an unyielding stance by senior police officers, party leaders eventually relented and handed the suspects over to custody.