At least 14 people, including a police circle inspector, were wounded in a crude bomb attack on a CPM march at Panoor on Sunday evening. The CPM workers alleged that a group of RSS men lobbed the explosives towards the crowd and rushed in with weapons.
The CPM Panoor area committee has called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Panoor municipality, Kunnothuparambu, Thrippangottur, Chokli, Mokeri and Pannyannur panchayats on Monday. Public transport and essential services have been exempted from the shutdown.
The CPM organised the march on Sunday to protest the vandalising of its office and campaign material put together as part of the party’s area committee convention.
CPM Puthoor local committee member E.M. Ashokan suffered injuries in the face, neck and hands in the bomb attack. He has been admitted to the Thalassery cooperative hospital along with Kunnummal branch secretary P. Bhaskaran, Amboonteparambath Chandran, Kattilparambath Mohanan and K.P. Sudhakaran.
Four police personnel were also injured in the attack. Circle inspector M.K. Sajeev, sub inspector Prakash, CPOs Sreejith and Shibu were rushed to the Panoor taluk hospital. Sajeev returned to the spot after receiving first aid treatment to maintain law and order. Thalassery deputy superintendent of police Prince Abraham and other officers have also reached the area.
Kunnothuparambu panchayat member N. Anil Kumar and Puthoor local committee secretary Prajeesh Ponnath were also injured in the attack.
Meanwhile in neighboring Kaivelikkal, a BJP worker was targeted by CPM activists. Mammeripoyil Aravindan, an auto rickshaw driver, was waylaid near the church and attacked. He has been admitted to the Panoor health center. The Panoor police have registered a case.
RSS also attacked Kadambur's Rajiv Gandhi Cultural Center in which three people were injured including Mahila Congress leader P.V. Premavalli. A dawn to dusk hartal will be held on Monday in Kadambur panchayat.
The bomb attack comes on the day when Amit Shah lashed out at the CPM over the political violence in Kerala. He also alleged that the political killings in Kerala were being carried out on the "orders" of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
