New Delhi: Violence involving BJP-RSS and ruling CPI(M) continued to rock Kerala on Sunday as two Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) workers were seriously injured and an RSS leader was attacked in Palakkad. A bomb was also hurled at a Yuva Morcha activist in Kannur's Thalassery.
Amid incidents of vandalism over entry of two women of menstruating age into the Ayyappa temple on January 2, state police chief Loknath Behera has sounded a state-wide alert and given direction to take stern action against those responsible for attacks on houses of party leaders.
Kannur, in particular, has witnessed series of attacks. The police has deployed additional forces in district's Thalassery in view of the tense situation. A total 270 people had been arrested in the district in connection with the incidents over the past three days.
Bombs have been hurled at several places, including at the houses of CPI(M) MLA A N Shamseer in Madapeedikayil, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member V Muraleedharan at Vadiyil Peedikia and former Kannur district secretary of CPI(M) P Sasi.
As police struggled to control the situation, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan lashed out at the RSS, saying the Sangh Parivar was trying to create fear in people's minds.
The attacks, which disrupted normal life, marked return of political violence on large-scale after a gap of over a year in the sensitive district. Kannur has been the hotbed of political violence especially between the CPI(M) and BJP and witnessed bloody clashes and killings over the years.
In the district, 169 cases have been registered and 230 people arrested, while in Palakkad 166 cases have been registered and 298 people held, police said.
It has been decided that no marches would be allowed to be taken out on Sunday, according to police after stone pelting incidents were reported against a march taken out by DYFI and BJP office in Kannur district on Saturday.
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