Kerala - Alappuzha   

BMS leader's house attacked; one killed

Staff Reporter

ALAPPUZHA: One person was killed and four others were injured when some armed men attacked the house of BMS Alappuzha district joint secretary K. Pradeep and an RSS worker M. Sasi on Alappuzha beach on Monday midnight.

A hartal was observed in the district on Tuesday following a call by the BJP and the BMS to protest against the attacks. The hartal was by and large peaceful.

The police identified the deceased as Nandini (79), Puthenveedu, ESI Ward, Alappuzha municipality. Her son Sasi (48), his wife Prashobhini (40), their children Prasanth (24), Sadeep (21) were injured in the attack. They were admitted to the Alappuzha Medical College Hospital. Though the crowd attacked and damaged Mr. Pradeep's home, he escaped unhurt. Two motorbikes parked in front of Mr. Pradeep's home were destroyed.

While the police said they suspected NDF workers behind the attack, the NDF and BMS leaders accused that CPI(M) cadres were behind the attack. The police said a case was registered in connection with the incident. They said that five persons were taken into custody in connection with the attack.

The police, however, refused to divulge more details. Meanwhile, BMS State vice-president M.P. Bhargavan and State secretary A.N. Pankajakshan alleged that CPI(M) workers were behind the attack. They said the NDF cadres might have infiltrated the CPI(M).

NDF Alappuzha district convenor A. Sudheer Punnapra said the NDF had no role in the attack. He said there was no rivalry between the NDF and the BMS. Mr. Sudheer said that some CPI(M) leaders were inciting communal passion in the district and creating trouble. The Muslim Aikyavedi held a march in the town on Tuesday morning accusing the police of charging fake cases against the community members.

Meanwhile, the hartal on Tuesday affected the public life and tourism industry badly as the district observed three hartals in the last four days. Hartals were held in the district on December 30, and January 1 also to protest against execution of the former Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein.

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BMS leader's house attacked; one killed

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