Political clashes intensify in Kannur; PJP, CPIM bomb each other

Kannur, Oct 17: A tense situation prevailed in Kannur district of Kerala following bomb attacks allegedly carried out by miscreants belonging to Bharatiya Janata Party and Communist Party of India (Marxist) at Chakkarakkal town on Thursday.

Chakkarakkal and nearby areas that had witnessed clashes between the workers of the rival parties over the past few weeks saw an escalation of tension following four incidents of bomb attacks on Thursday. However, none was reported injured in the attacks.

According to the police, the trouble started when the house of M.K. Premarajan, president of the Chakkarakkal unit of the pro-CPI(M) Vyapari Vyavasayi Samithi, at Irivery came under bomb attack in the early hours of Thursday.

The attack was carried out by unidentified men who reached the spot on motorcycles and hurled two country-made bombs at the house. A door and nine windowpanes of the house were damaged in the explosion.

A hartal was observed by the CPI(M) in the area in protest against the attack.

In a sequel to this incident, the house of BJP worker K. Jayaraman at Bavode was attacked by a group of men around 1 p.m. They threatened the people and destroyed the furniture inside the house. They also hurled a bomb at the house before leaving, the police said.

The house of one Karunan, a resident of Vellachal, came under bomb attack shortly after the incident at Bavode.

The police said that a group of motorcycle-borne men threw two crude bombs on the road.

Police personnel were deployed in the area in view of the tense situation.