A blast in Kannur’s Pooniam Choola on Friday afternoon has left two persons injured and hospitalised. The area is a CPI(M) stronghold and the blast had reportedly occurred while a few people were making bombs. One of them has been identified as CPI(M) worker Rameesh, who was an accused in the TP Chandrasekharan murder case, Thalassery DySP confirmed to TNM. He has reportedly sustained injuries on his eyes and hands and is being treated in an Intensive Care Unit, while the other person has only suffered minor injuries.
The explosion took place within the station limits of Kathiroor in Kannur and according to reports, two eye-witnesses had seen men jump into the nearby river immediately after the blast. Reports have also confirmed that 12 steel bombs have been recovered from the site of the explosion and measures are now being taken to defuse the bombs. The injured persons were first shifted to the Thalassery Co-operative hospital.
Ever since the murder of two DYFI (youth wing of CPI(M)) in Thiruvananthapuram, political clashes have been reported in Kannur where several attacks on Congress offices have been reported. A DYFI-run Vaayanshala or reading room is also said to have been vandalised in the district.
The Thalassery DySP also confirmed that investigation is ongoing and that no arrests have been made so far.
An FIR has been registered in the Kathiroor station under sections 4 (Punishment for attempt to cause explosion, or for making or keeping explosive with intent to endanger life or property) and 5 (Punishment for making or possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances) of the Explosives Substances Act 1908.