A Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader was stabbed to death allegedly by a group of men from the Bharatiya Janata Party and Bajrang Dal in Thrissur district of Kerala on Sunday night, The New Indian Express reported. Three other party workers were also grievously injured in the assault.

The attack took place at Eayal near Kunnamkulam, when CPI(M) Puthusserry branch secretary PU Sanoop, and three others were attacked with sharp weapons. The party leaders were on their way to meet a friend identified as Mithun.

Sanoop and other CPI(M) workers were taken to the nearest private hospital and subsequently to Thrissur medical college hospital. But Sanoop succumbed to his injuries, while one of the injured persons was stated to be in a critical condition, according to Onmanorama.

The Erumapetty Police seized a vehicle that was reportedly used by the accused to flee from the spot. Around six people, suspected to be involved in the crime, are absconding, according to India Today.

The CPI(M) alleged that the assault was carried out by a eight-member Bajrang Dal-RSS gang. CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan claimed the attack was planned by a person who recently switched his loyalty to the Bharatiya Janata Party from Congress, and planned the murder with the help of right-wing groups. “The leaders of these parties are using criminal activists to eliminate political enemies,” he said in a Facebook post.

Democratic Youth Federation of India state secretary AA Rahim also alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party was behind the murder. The Democratic Youth Federation of India is the youth wing of the CPI(M).

However, the police have ruled out any political conspiracy angle to the case, according to India Today. They said Sanoop and others died after a scuffle between two groups after an “illegal” bike race escalated and turned violent.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party issued a statement and denied any involvement in the crime. The saffron party said that neither the BJP nor the RSS have any involvement in the crime. The BJP also accused the CPI(M) of trying to politicise the murder.