Kannur, February 19 – In a chilling display of political intimidation, a wreath was found outside the home of writer and social critic V.S. Anil Kumar in Kannapuram, Kerala, on Thursday morning.
The wreath was placed near the gate of his residence in the Marutham area, immediately drawing attention and concern from the public and political circles.
Anil Kumar is the son of the late renowned professor M.N. Vijayan.
The incident occurred in the wake of Anil Kumar's recent participation in the release of the book 'Nethruthtwathine Anikal Thiruthanam (The Leadership Must Be Corrected by the People)', authored by CPI(M) dissident V. Kunjikrishnan.
Besides attending the launch, Anil Kumar has frequently criticised the CPI(M) leadership, both publicly during the book event and on social media.
Reacting to this, Anil Kumar said, "I have no fear at all. I have been living for a long time, so the question of fear doesn't exist.”
Anil Kumar first noticed the wreath this morning while opening the gate to send his son to football coaching.
He promptly informed the Kannapuram police, who have registered a case and begun a formal investigation.
Authorities are looking into the possibility of a politically motivated threat, recalling past incidents in Kannur where wreaths were used to intimidate political opponents.
The placement of a wreath, a traditional symbol of mourning, outside a private residence is widely seen as an unsettling message.
Political analysts note that such acts aim to instil fear and suppress dissent, particularly when targeting individuals known for outspoken criticism.
With Kerala's political climate already tense ahead of upcoming local and state-level events, the case is expected to become a significant topic of debate.
Meanwhile, the Kannapuram police continue their investigation, examining potential motives and suspects.
Reacting to this, Kunjikrishnan said no one has any doubt about who has done this.
Kunjikrishnan has been taking on the wrongdoings of the way the Kannur district unit of the party has been handling the issue of swindling of funds related to a party martyr that he raised.
Following his stern stand, he was ousted from the party.
