Blame game follows violence in Kozhikode villages over Sabarimala issue

Kozhikode: The violence and blame game by various political parties are not subsiding in rural Kozhikode ever since the entry of two women below 50 years to Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala on January 2.

The Minister for Industries E P Jayarajan on Monday said that the police made a mistake by arresting a local CPM leader Athul Das for the attack against a mosque in Perambra. The minister also alleged some 'RSS hand' behind the 'false charges' against Das, who is a CPM branch secretary. However, the police did not react to his comments.

It was on Thursday during the hartal called by Ayyappa Karma Samiti, supported by BJP and other Hindutva outfits, that political activists from rival outfits clashed in Perambra town, near the Juma Masjid. The CPM and DYFI took out a rally and while they were returning, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the Congress were taking out their protest march and the men belonging to the rival political fronts clashed.

Blame game follows violence in Kozhikode villages over Sabarimala issue — The bombs found by police officers in a raid held in Cherikkal, Poyiloor, in Kannur. Photo: Manorama

Earlier, a BJP rally here was called off as the police were aware that it could turn violent, as the area is a stronghold of the CPM.

According to police, the partymen in the two processions attacked each other and some from the CPM-DYFI procession pelted stones at the IUML office, which was situated near the mosque. Police said that Athul Das was arrested on the basis of the CCTV footage and case was registered against seven others. However, the minister said that the stones were pelted by RSS men and the government would take it seriously.

In the wee hours of Monday, steel bomb was hurled at the house of a BJP worker at Viyyoor near Koyilandy. This is also suspected to be a continuation of the violence witnessed in the area for the past few days. On January 3, one CPM worker and one BJP worker were injured in clashes in Koyilandy town. To review the issue, municipality chairman K Sathyan of the CPM had reached the area and his two-wheeler was also attacked.

It is said Das's house in Perambra was attacked in retaliation for the attack against Sathyan in Koyilandy, about 40 km away.

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.