Social observer and popular Malayalam blogger Basheer Vallikkunnu has lashed out at Sreejith Panicker over his statement that Variyamkunnath Kunjahammed Haji was a robber. Sreejith had pointed out that RH Hitchcock, the then Superintendent of South Malabar Police, had stated in his book 'The History of the Malabar Rebellion 1921', that Variyamkunnan was a robber. However, Basheer wrote on Facebook that Hitchcock was the mastermind behind the Wagon Tragedy massacre. Basheer also stated that Hitchcock was the police chief who had ordered to shoot Variyamkkunnan.