ALAPPUZHA: The accused, who were on the run, were arrested after the high court cancelled their bail in the murder case of SDPI state secretary K S Shan. The Mannancherry police arrested second to eighth accused from Palani in the case. Vishnu, Abhimanyu, Sanand, Athul and Dhanesh were arrested.

The high court had cancelled the bail of all five on December 11. The Alappuzha Additional Sessions Court had issued a warrant for the accused on December 17. Two people who helped the accused to hide were arrested the other day. The trial court had granted bail to the accused a year ago. The bail was cancelled after the prosecution appealed against this in the high court.

The prosecution case is that BJP and RSS workers killed Shan. He was murdered on the night of December 18 in 2021. Although 11 accused in the case, who are RSS-BJP workers, filed a chargesheet within 90 days, the accused were granted bail. In February 2021, RSS activist Nandu was hacked to death by SDPI-Popular Front activists in Vayalar. Police investigation revealed that Shan was killed in retaliation for this.