Thrissur: The BJP workers on Tuesday marched towards the CPM district committee office after a CPM worker poured crude oil on a signboard at MP Suresh Gopi’s office in the city.

Police stopped the march about 100 metres from the CPM office, where members of both parties had gathered on opposite sides of the road, shouting slogans and exchanging taunts. As the situation escalated, police resorted to a lathi-charge. BJP city district president Justin Jacob, district general secretary P K Babu, Thrissur East constituency general secretary Nimesh, Ajith Mootheri, and a CPM worker were injured. Stones were also pelted during the clash.

Security was stepped up at both party offices. CPM district secretary K V Abdul Khader accused the BJP of breaching a political understanding by marching to a rival office, while BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar condemned the alleged CPM attack and announced state-wide protests on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Congress leadership in Thrissur filed a complaint against Suresh Gopi with the City Police Commissioner, alleging that the BJP MP submitted false information in his Lok Sabha election affidavit, including a claim that he and his family had been residing in Thrissur for six months prior to the polls.