Kerala: BJP worker killed in Kannur, RSS office attacked

Kannur: In yet another incident of political violence in Kannur, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker was stabbed to death allegedly by Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) activists at Andaloor in Dharmadam, the constituency of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The attack on Santosh (52) took place last night when he was alone in his house.

In another incident on Thursday, a country bomb was hurled at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Karyalaya at nearby Thaliparamba. Though none was injured, the window panes of the office were damaged. Though Santosh was rushed to the hospital, he died on the way, Kannur Superintendent of Police K. P. Philip said.

BJP is observing a hartal in the district, where the 57th state School Arts festival is now on. Shops and businesses have downed shutters and vehicles are off the roads. A tense situation prevailed for nearly three hours as BJP wanted to take out the funeral procession of Santosh in front of the festival venue. When police denied them permission, the workers squatted on the road and protested. However, following intervention of Kannur Collector Mir Mohammed Ali, the ambulance carrying the body and two cars were allowed to proceed by police. There were stray incidents of stoning at various places in Kannur during the hartal.

Meanwhile, ruling CPI(M) on Thursday denied that its party workers were behind the murder. “CPI(M) was not responsible for the murder. Those who carried out the attack will not be protected,” party state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said at Kochi. Kodiyeri said he had spoken to the DGP and asked him to bring to book those responsible for the attack and added that it was doubtful if the murder was due to political rivalry. CPI(M) Kannur district secretary P. Jayarajan demanded a comprehensive probe and said the party was not behind the act.

Opposition leader in the assembly Ramesh Chennithala alleged that there have been eight political murders after the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government came to power in May 2016. In the constituency of the chief minister, who looks after the home portfolio, four political murders had taken place so far, he said in a statement. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president V. M. Sudheeran urged the BJP and CPI(M) to stop violent politics.

Meanwhile, BJP on Thursday demanded that central forces be deployed to bring peace in Kannur in north Kerala. The party will make this demand before the home secretary, BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan, said at Kottayam. “In Kannur city when government is organising the school arts festival, CPI(M) workers are killing people in party controlled villages”, he alleged.

Within two months of peace talks chaired by the chief minister, four BJP workers had been killed and several others seriously injured, he said. BJP workers waved black flags at the chief minister at Kasaragod where he was attending a function. They were removed from the spot by police.