Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 24 (IANS): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said a probe will be initiated to find out the death threats reportedly given to opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala.

"For the past two days I have been receiving calls from a don Ravi Pujari and I have been ignoring them. But today I got a message on my phone and hence I am raising this," Chennithala told the assembly.

He said the caller told him not to discuss businessman Mohammed Nizam, who is serving a life term for running down a security guard.

Earlier, former minister and Congress legislator T. Radhakrishnan said the law and order situation in the state had rapidly deteriorated.

"I still do not understand why should you (Chennithala) be a target of Nizam. But now that this has been raised, the police will start a probe and necessary action will be taken," said Vijayan.

Chennithala has since written to Vijayan detailing the threats he has received.

In a fit of rage, Nisham rammed his Hummer vehicle into 47-year-old Chandra Bose on December 29, 2014 and also beat him up as he was late in opening the gate of the villa compound. 

After battling for life for 48 days in a hospital, Bose succumbed to his injuries on February 15 last year.

A court in Thrissur in January this year pronounced Nisham guilty and handed out life imprisonment and also imposed a fine of Rs 7 million. The controversial businessman is lodged in the Kannur jail.

Late last week, three jail officials was suspended after it came to light that Nizam was using a mobile phone and controlling his business from the prison.