Kerala - Alappuzha   

MLA's vehicle attacked

Staff Reporter

ALAPPUZHA: The vehicles of Pandalam MLA K.K. Shaju and District Congress Committee president A.A. Shukoor were attacked, allegedly by Communist Party of India (Marxist) activists, at Krishnapuram, near Kayamkulam, on Tuesday. The incident happened when Mr. Shaju and Mr. Shukoor, along with Mavelikara MLA M. Murali and Haripad MLA B. Babu Prasad, were returning to Alappuzha after a no-confidence motion moved against the vice-president of the Krishnapuram panchayat was passed. With Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala also rushing to the spot and Congress activists protesting the attacks, tension gripped the area.

Mr. Shukoor, condemning the incident, alleged that the vehicles were stopped and attacked by CPI (M) cadre.

"This attack should not have occurred, particularly because police protection was ordered in the area in the background of the no-confidence motion. But still police failed to prevent the incident," he said. The Congress, which called for a hartal in Kayamkulam and Krishnapuram from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, also organised protest meetings across the district later in the day. A protest meeting would be held at Kayamkulam on Wednesday, Mr. Shukoor said. Earlier, the police arrested and removed Congress workers who staged a dharna at Krishnapuram protesting against the incident. Those arrested included Mr. Shukoor, KPCC secretaries Johnson Abraham and Mannar Abdul Lateef, DCC office-bearers Aby Kuriakose, N. Ravi and Koshy M. Koshy, senior leaders K.A. Kalam, M.K. Vijayan, K.M. Raju and Byju Kalasala, among others.

The no-confidence motion was moved by the Nationalist Congress Party's member in the panchayat, K. Devadas, reportedly with the help of a CPI (M) member against panchayat vice-president M. Shyam of the Janata Dal. With the motion being passed, Mr. Devadas became the new vice-president, according to Krishnapuram panchayat officials.

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