Kannur erupts again — BJP men, Marxist killed

KANNUR, DEC 1: In a fresh bout of violence in Kannur district of Kerala today, a top BJP Yuva Morcha leader was hacked to death and a CPI...

KANNUR, DEC 1: In a fresh bout of violence in Kannur district of Kerala today, a top BJP Yuva Morcha leader was hacked to death and a CPI(M) worker killed later, sparking off a series of retaliatory attacks in which one more BJP worker was killed and four men of both parties injured.

The fragile state of peace in Kannur district was broken this morning when Marxist workers fatally attacked Yuva Morcha state vice-president K T Jayakrishnan (34) with sharp edged weapons, while he was teaching in a school within the Panur police station limits. Jayakrishnan’s assailants threw acid on the face of his gunman, Vasudevan (48), standing outside the classroom. Jayakrishnan had been provided with a gunman following a threat to his life from his political opponents.

In breach of the agreement that the CPI(M) and a few more parties signed at Kochi yesterday to end the continuing violence in Kannur, eight Marxist workers committed the crime, which the BJP workers subsequently avenged within an hour by hacking to death CPI(M) activist Manoj (35) and injuring Kizhekkethil Vijesh and another activist in neighbouring Konkachi.

Story continues below this ad

BJP worker M Prakash (37) was killed when he was attacked by Marxist workers at Chundakkapoyil. Another BJP worker, Rajesh (18), who was also attacked along with Prakash, was injured. Prakash later succumbed to his injuries.

Following the attack on Rajesh and Prakash, the BJP workers turned their wrath on CPI(M) worker Nazir within the Panur police limits.

The Kannur District Collector imposed prohibitory orders under 144 CrPc for a week in Chokli, Panur, Koduvalleri and Dharmadam. All the schools in Kannur were given a holiday, even as security in the sensitive pockets was intensified. Shops in several parts of Kannur remained closed.

The BJP has given a call for a 12-hour hartal in the state tomorrow to condemn the killing of Jayakrishnan.

Story continues below this ad

At Chavasserry, RSS-BJP workers clashed with the police who fired 11 rounds to disperse a violent crowd. Sub-Inspector Moideen and two constables were injured in the incident.

A report from Kozhikode said the RSS-BJP workers went berserk in the city, damaging at least 20 buses parked in the bus stand and forcing closure of shops.

At Thiruvananthapuram, an irate mob of BJP workers resorted to stone-throwing at many places and damaged two shops and two buses.

The incident occurred barely 24 hours after a peace deal was brokered by the Forum for Democracy and Communal Amity (FDCA) for ending the violence in the trouble-torn Kannur district.