CPM Branch Secretary Found Dead in Palakkad After Election Nomination Process

PALAKKAD: A branch secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) was discovered dead, found hanging in his house compound in Palakkad. The deceased has been identified as Sivakumar, 29, who served as the branch secretary of the Elappully Tharakkalam branch in Palakkad.

Sivakumar was also an active member of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) Elappully West regional committee and the PKS village committee. The incident occurred yesterday afternoon, shortly after Sivakumar returned home from accompanying a candidate for the filing of nomination papers for the upcoming local body elections. A neighbor made the grim discovery, finding Sivakumar hanging from a tree branch in a field adjacent to his residence.

According to reports from friends and local leaders, Sivakumar had joined other party workers around 12 noon yesterday to support the candidate nominated by the party for his ward in the Elappully Grama Panchayat during the nomination filing process. After his return home, attempts by friends and local leaders to contact him via phone were unsuccessful.

Kasaba police were promptly informed and arrived at the scene to conduct an inquest into the death. Authorities have stated that the exact cause of death is not yet clear, and investigations are ongoing. Sivakumar’s body has been transported to the district hospital mortuary for further procedures. The funeral rites were subsequently performed at the Chandranagar crematorium.

Sivakumar had dedicated five years to his role as the CPM Tharakkalam branch secretary. Beyond his political engagements, he was employed as a supervisor at a private farm in Vadakode and also contributed to newspaper distribution in the area. He was unmarried. He is survived by his mother, Parvathy. His father, Appu, and sister, Ambika, are deceased.