Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 17 (IANS): Police have taken into custody 5 persons for their alleged involvement in the murder of an SDPI activist, Subair (44) at Elapully in Kerala's Palakkad district, officials said on Sunday.

They were arrested from Kazchaparambu in Palakkad while they were trying to escape to Kodungallur, police said.

Investigating officers said that all five are natives of Elapully where the murder took place.

The people who were taken into custody , according to police had provided the necessary support to the accused in the murder and had participated in the conspiracy.

It may be noted that Subair was hacked to death on Friday while he was returning home after offering prayers at a local mosque along with his father, Aboobacker.

Police said that the assailants hit the bike in which Subair was driving with his father pillion riding. They hacked Subair to death in front of his father who suffered minor injuries in the fall.

After the killing of Subair on Friday, Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) activists hacked to death a former RSS pracharak , Sreenivasan (45) on Saturday.

The killings and counter killings have sent shock waves across the people of the state during festival time with Vishu, Easter being celebrated on Friday and Sunday and for Muslims its the holy Ramzan month .