Kannur: About 50 local people, including women, protesting against the acquisition of paddy fields for a proposed National Highway (NH) at Kizhattur in the district, were arrested and removed from the site on Wednesday, police said.
The group, under the banner of 'Vayalkillikal', had been protesting for the past few days and had set up a temporary shed on a paddy field through which the highway is likely to pass.
There were some tense moments as two protesters doused themselves with kerosene and threatened to set themselves ablaze.
The group, led by Suresh Kizhattur, was arrested and removed them from the site.
Meanwhile, some CPM activists allegedly set fire to the temporary shed.
The blaze, which destroyed the shed, was extinguished by fire force personnel.
Kizhattur is a Marxist stronghold.
Hitting out at the CPM, environmental activist C R Neelakantan said it was ironical that while the Marxist party was supporting the farmers protest in Maharashtra, it was trying to put down the agitation against taking over of paddy lands for highway construction.
Adivasi Gothra Mahasabha leader C K Janu said it was unfortunate that CPM, which was supporting similar protests elsewhere, was taking a different stand in Kerala.
