THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The death by suicide of BJP leader and Thirumala ward councillor K Anil Kumar has sparked a major political row, with the BJP accusing the police and the CPM of driving him to the extreme step, while the CPM has called for a probe into the financial dealings of a cooperative society linked to the deceased leader.

Anil Kumar, 52, councillor of Thirumala ward and general secretary of the BJP’s Thiruvananthapuram city unit, was found hanging inside the party’s ward office on Saturday morning. His death, now registered as a case of unnatural death, has led to political blame games.

BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar is expected to address the councillor’s death at a press conference in Varkala on Sunday. In a condolence post on Facebook, Rajeev noted that Anil Kumar had met him just two days before his death.

BJP city district president Karamana Jayan alleged that Anil Kumar had been mentally harassed by both the police and the CPM.

According to him, police summoned Anil Kumar to the Thampanoor station based on a complaint linked to the cooperative bank run by him and threatened him to produce Rs 5 lakh in cash.

He announced a protest march to Thampanoor police station on Monday demanding action against the officers who issued the threats.