Kollam: A young comrade here is nursing a broken nose after he 'dared' to stay away from the election campaign on behalf of the CPM.
The police reportedly refused to register a case since the accused persons were the party comrades of the injured youth, identified as Ravin, 27, the only son of Ravikumar and Rajalakshmy of Punnathala, Thirumullavaaram.
It is alleged DYFI leaders had summoned Ravin over the phone around 9 pm on Tuesday, and an armed gang of about 15 men assaulted him near his residence. He suffered a broken nose after being hit with a brass knuckle, Ravin said.
His friend Afin Thaha who had accompanied him was also attacked. The friends were rescued by local residents.
He was reportedly attacked for skipping party's local activities. Ravin had earlier conveyed to the party his inconvenience in engaging in organisational activities after he got employed in a private firm.
Subsequently, a comrade who is also a member of the Kollam Corporation council, visited his residence and urged him to be active in the election campaign. He was also warned of dire consequences if he dared to defy the party diktat.
Ravin had been active in the activities of the DYFI and the CPM for the past eight years. A member of DYFI’s Civil Station zonal committee and CPM’s Punnathala South branch, he had got employed just before the December 2020 election to the local bodies. However, he could join work only after the polls as he was engaged with campaigning tasks.
As his working hours are 8 am to 8 pm he found it difficult to attend party programmes later.
The police refused to record his statement directed him to a hospital when a bleeding Ravin approached them after the attack. Later Ravin submitted a written complaint.
(DYFI or the Democratic Youth Federation of India is the youth outfit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPM.)
