On Wednesday (April 7th) at least 10 Left party offices were attacked and vandalised in Kannur district in Kerala after death of an Indian Muslim League (IUML) youth wing worker police as a result of a post-poll clash between IUML and CPI(M) workers.

Violence erupted the next day during the funeral of the 22 year old of IUML Youth League member who died on 6th April. The violence soon spread to the whole area injuring several and destroying many properties.

TV Subash, the District Collector has called an all-party at 11 am on 8th April to restore peace in the area. Venugopal Nair, the Kannur Range Inspector General (IG) has reportedly said the situation is under control.

According to PTI sources, the CPI(M) offices at Panoor in Kannur district have been attacked and burned.

Illango R, the Kannur Superintendent of Police (SP) reportedly told the PTI that police resorted to baton charge and used grenades to dismiss the violent crowd in the Kolavellur police station limits.

He said, “Around five-six persons, mostly IUML workers, were taken into custody after some miscreants have vandalised around five party offices in Chockli and Kolavellur police station limits. A few more were also attacked in other places.”

He added that, “Three police personnel got injured and a police bus was damaged. Houses of few accused in the murder case were also attacked.”

The officer further stated that more persons would be arrested and a case will be registered. He also reportedly informed that extra police force has been deployed and the situation is under control.

The Kannur Range IG said that, “I visited the spot. The funeral procession happened late in the evening and some people attacked the party offices in the dark. Only party offices were attacked, it seems”.

The IUML workers has reportedly vandalised CPI(M) Peringathur local committee office, branch committee offices in the town, Aachimukku, Keezhmadam, Kochiyangado and Kadavathur branch committee offices and a few libraries were burned down allegedly by the Indian Union Muslim League workers.

A CPI(M) party official reportedly told the PTI that, “At least five CPI(M) offices in Kannur district were gutted down by the IUML activists. Even though the police claim that everything was under control, the Muslim League workers are threatening the CPI(M) families”.

IUML youth leader, Mansur had according to the police, suffered critical injuries to his leg and was admitted to a private hospital in Kozhikode, where he was declared dead by the doctors.

An alleged CPI(M) activist was taken into custody by the police soon after the incident, sources said.

The IUML is a key ally of the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front. The IUML is an off shoot of Jinnah’s Muslim League which was formed after partition in India.

According to reports from the local witnesses, the IUML youth leader was killed in a clash which broke out around 8 pm in Paral area in Koothuparamba constituency due to accusations of bogus voting.

Reportedly, a group of people waylaid Mansur and his brother Muhsin, a United Democratic Front (UDF) poll agent, near their home and hurled bombs at them before attacking the youth with sharp weapons.

Mustafa, Mansur’s father, reportedly said, ” The assailants dragged my son out of our house and killed him in front of my eyes. Our area is not known for political violence. There were no serious incidents to lead to such a cruel act.”

Muhsin reportedly sustained serious injuries in the clashes and was rushed to the private hospital in Kozhikode where he was declared brought dead. The IUML accused the ruling CPI(M) for being behind the killing of Mansur, while the Left party denied the charge and insisted that it was not a political murder.

Muhsin, in a statement reportedly said, ” It was so sudden and unexpected, but they attacked me after confirming my name. As I was being attacked, Mansur tried to protect me. They hacked him too”.

A CPI(M) member was reportedly arrested by the police and 11 other assailants were identified right after the incident.

The Congress-led UDF opposition observed a strike at Koothuparamba on Wednesday.

The BJP has also been consistently accusing the CPI(M) of perpetrating political violence in the state. PK Krishna Das, a BJP leader and canditate for Kattakkada constituency, accused the CPI(M) of unleashing a wave of violence across Kerala right after the assembly elections on 6th April. He reportedly said, “The Marxist party has attacked BJP workers in my constituency. They have thrown bombs towards the workers, destroyed campaigning materials, and the police didi not take any action against them”.

Reportedly, the BJP’s Yuva Morcha Kasargod district president Sreejith Parakkalayil was also attacked on April 6th. Sreejith was admitted to a private hospital in Mangalore after he sustained serious in the attack on him allegedly by the CPI(M) workers.

In northern Kerala district of Kannur, the Kuthuparamba assembly constituency witnessed a fierce contest between KP Mohanan of the Lok Janatantrik Dal (LJD), an ally of the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and Pottankandy Abdullah of the IUML.

Notably, Kannur has been a hot bed of political violence for decades since the CPI(M) established its political dominance over the area by using threat and brutal violence as a strategy to eliminate opposition. Kannur is also famous for its several “Party Grams” or Party Villages, where no other political party is allowed to function other than the CPI(M) and the party is infamous for not sparing the lives of its own members when they leave the party due to disillusionment and join some other party.

The political killing fields of Kerala and West Bengal is a gift of the political style of communist parties, the CPI(M) in particular, added to this Islamist and jihadi elements of Kerala pursuing political Islam only add to the barbaric murderous political culture.

News input: India TV, New Indian Express, Opindia

Image source: New Indian Express

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