Six Communist Party of India-Marxit workers were arrested today in connection with hacking to death of a Bharatiya Janata Party worker at Andaloor in nearby Dharmadam a few days ago.

Police said the accused, aged between 25-31, were Marxist party workers and sympathisers hailing from Andaloor, from were the victim also belonged.

While the CPI-M leaders had earlier claimed that the attack on 53-year-old Santosh was a fallout of a property dispute between his relatives, police said it was due to some political rivalry.

The incident was said to be in retaliation to the attack by alleged Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh workers on some Student Federation of India students who had gone on an excursion earlier.

Santosh was attacked inside his house and had 21 injuries, mostly on hands and legs. His wife and children were away at the time of the incident on January 18 at around 11 pm.

The BJP had observed a hartal the next day protesting against the attack.