Read Time: 07 minutes

After the Kerala Bar Association, it is the Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh Bar Associations who have expressed anguish over the brutal killing of Advocate Ranjith Sreenivasan at his residence in Kerala.

Advocate Ranjith Sreenivasan was an active member of the Alleppey Bar Association and was the State Secretary of the OBC Morcha of Bharatiya Janata Party, Kerala state unit. Earlier, he was the District Secretary of Bharathiya Abhibashaka Parishad, the Kerala chapter of the Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta Parishad.

In a Press Release on Tuesday, the J&K High Court Bar Association, Jammu in a meeting held in the High Court Complex, Jammu, under the Chairmanship of M.K. Bhardwaj, Sr. Adv & President, J&K High Court Bar Association and stated that,

“The J&K High Court Bar Association, Jammu expressed deep anguish of the incident by observing two minutes silence as a mark of respect to the departed soul. The Bar Association, Jammu extended its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. The Association also demanded the concerned authorities to take strict action against the culprits who have done this heinous crime.”

Further, Shailendra Verma, Chairman of State Bar Counsel of Madhya Pradesh in the letter addressed to Home Minister, Kerala government wrote that,

“I humbly request you to inquire the matter through the SIT and further request for strict action against the culprits immediately. It is the duty of the State Government to protect the advocates from any unforeseen circumstances so that the advocates practicing in the State shall feel protected,” wrote

Yesterday, the Alleppey Bar Association of the Alappuzha district of Kerala showed anguish over this and decided to abstain from Court proceedings in protest against the brutal killing of its member, Advocate Ranjith Sreenivasan, on Sunday (December 19) morning.

The executive committee of the Association convened a meeting on Sunday night. On behalf of the Association, the Committee had demanded that the Police convene a Special Investigative Team to investigate the killing of Ranjith Sreenivasan. The Committee has also decided that no member of the Alappuzha Bar will appear for those accused of the killing.

Chronology of events:

As per news sources, on Sunday morning, a twelve-member group of assailants allegedly belonging to SDPI, the political outfit of the Popular Front of India, arrived at the residence of Ranjith Sreenivasan. His door was not locked, as one of his two daughters had just gone out to attend tuition. Ranjith was sitting inside the house, reading a newspaper, when the assailants opened the door and entered the house. One of the assailants hit Ranjith's face with a hammer, and as he fell, the other assailants started hacking him with swords. When Ranjith's mother came running, she was stopped and made to stand, watch her son getting killed. One of the assailants held a sword to her neck, and when his wife and daughter tried to protect him, the wife was hit and kicked. One of the assailants swung a sword at the minor daughter of Ranjith but missed.

It is reported that Ranjith was brought dead to the hospital. His face had been smashed beyond recognition using a hammer. His neck had almost been severed. It is reported that the killing of Ranjith was in retaliation for the killing of the State Secretary of the SDPI, KS Shan, on Saturday evening.