BJP worker dies after attack in Kerala’s Kannur, hartal today

(Representational image)

The cycle of violence in Kerala’s Kannur district continues unabated after a BJP worker died following an attack on his home in Andalur. Santosh (52) was alone at home when he was attacked by a gang of unidentified men close to 11 pm Wednesday night. Even though the victim was taken to hospital by police and neighbours, he had succumbed to injuries by then. Santosh, a booth worker of the BJP, is survived by his mother, wife and two children.

The district unit of the BJP, which placed the blame for the attack on the ruling CPI(M), called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal on Thursday. The popular youth festival, currently being held in Kannur, has been kept untouched by the hartal. The BJP has also demanded an explanation from chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, whose constituency of Dharmadam, is close to the site of the attack. Santosh was a BJP candidate in the last panchayat elections in Dharmadam.

In another incident in the district, a country-made bomb was reportedly hurled at the RSS Karyalaya at Thaliparamba this morning, police said, adding no one was injured in the incident.

At least six murders of party workers were reported in Kannur last year with casualties on both the CPI(M) and the RSS sides. The district is politically sensitive and has been witness to frequent clashes between the CPI(M) and the RSS-BJP.