In yet another incident of possible political violence in the state, a CPI (M) worker was hacked to death by unidentified persons in the politically sensitive Kannur district in Kerala.
Valaankichal CPI (M) Branch Secretary Mohanan was hacked to death on Monday and succumbed to injuries while he was being taken to Thalassery Co-operative Hospital.
According to reports, the incident happened in Koothuparamba when the 50-year-old Mohanan, a toddy shop worker was attacked by a group of people who came in a Maruti Omni van armed with weapons. Post-mortem procedure is yet to be conducted, say reports.
"There have been unrest in Koothuparambu-Pathiriyadu area for the last few days. Another local branch secretary was hacked two days ago. One Asokan who was hacked along with Mohanan is not in critical condition. Mohanan had sustained injuries on his head, legs and chest," Koothuparambu Circle Inspector Suresh Babu told The News Minute.
He said that the attackers have not been identified yet.
Meanwhile, the CPI (M) has alleged that six RSS workers were involved in the incident and has declared a dawn-to-dusk hartal in the district on Tuesday. CPI (M) district secretary P Jayarajan and other local party leaders visited the hospital.
Political violence is no stranger to Kannur with incidents of frequent violence between the CPI (M) and the BJP/RSS party cadres being reported from the district. On July 12, one BJP and one CPI (M) worker were killed within a span of 12 hours, in what was seen as revenge killing.
With the BJP and CPI (M) pointing fingers at each other for the violence, BJP president Amit Shah had earlier in September constituted a team to visit the district and study the matter.
This was in the wake of a crude bomb attack on BJP state committee office in Thiruvananthapuram and the increasing number of political killings.