The Hindu : Front Page : Tension in Thalassery as violence continues

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Wednesday, Nov 07, 2007
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Tension in Thalassery as violence continues

Staff Reporter

Two more suffer injuries in fresh violence; CPI(M)-called hartal total

Home Minister says priority to restoration of peace
Meet decides to work for peace in violence-hit areas

KANNUR: Two persons belonging to rival parties were attacked on Tuesday in Thalassery which has been witnessing violence between workers of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Bharatiya Janata Party-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (BJP-RSS) for the last few days.

Volatile areas near Thalassery were still tense following the clashes between rival party workers that led to the killing of CPI(M) worker M.K. Sudheer on Monday.

With the two incidents of attacks on Tuesday, the number of injured in the clashes over the last three days rose to 10. The injured had been admitted to various hospitals including Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode.

A hartal called by the CPI(M) at Thalassery and Mahe in protest against the killing of the party worker was total. A CPI(M) worker, identified as P. Pavithran (52), a milk vendor, was attacked near his house at Namathmukku near Kathirur at 6 a.m. He suffered multiple stab injuries and was rushed to a hospital in Kozhikode. The assailants were suspected to be BJP-RSS workers.

In another incident, a BJP-RSS worker K.V. Lakshmanan (45) was stabbed by suspected CPI(M) workers at his house at Diamondmukku under the Kathirur police station limits at 1.30 p.m. When he came under attack, he rushed to a room and closed the door. He suffered stab injuries in his hand.

Body cremated

Meanwhile, the body of Sudheer was cremated at Eranholi. A large number of CPI(M) workers took part in the funeral procession.

A large posse of police personnel headed by Additional Director-General of Police K.S. Jangpangi was camping in the tension-affected areas. Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan also visited Thalassery in the afternoon.

He told reporters that steps were under way to bring the law and order situation under control. Stating that violence would be suppressed, he said that the priority was to restore peace in the area.

RDO calls meet

A meeting of local leaders of the CPI(M), BJP and the RSS convened by the Thalassery Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) at Thalassery on Tuesday evening decided to work for peace in the violence-hit areas. The leaders told the peace meeting, convened by RDO P. Rajan, that they would initiate steps to end the violence that broke out in the area over the last few days. The meeting was attended by CPI(M) leader Karayi Rajan and Punchayil Nanu, and BJP-RSS leaders Para Sasi, K. Pramod and N. Haridasan. District Superintendent of Police Mathew Polycarp was also present.

In the State capital, while CPI(M) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan accused the BJP State unit of having unleashed a ‘Gujarat model’ reign of terror to cover up the internal dissensions of the Sangh Parivar, BJP State general secretary M.T. Ramesh held the CPI(M) responsible for the incidents of violence in the district.

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