NILESHWARAM : Buses transporting BJP workers were attacked while going to and returning from the party’s Janaraksha Yatra in Payyanur on Tuesday, said party leaders. Stones were thrown at the vehicles between Karivellur and Padannakkad, they said. Around 8.30 pm, a motorcycle-borne gang threw stones at one of the buses carrying BJP workers at Padannakkad. Former Kasargod councillor Leelamani and a worker Kishore Kumar suffered serious injuries. “The teeth of Kishore Kumar were broken and Leelamani suffered injuries on the head,” said a BJP worker.
Road blocked
The BJP workers blocked the national highway soon after the incident at Padannakkad, causing heavy traffic jam. Senior police officers, including the inspector general of police (Kannur Range), rushed to the spot to placate the protesters. BJP district president K Shreekanth said the attacks were carried out by the CPM workers with the knowledge of the party leadership. In the morning, the buses came under attack from suspected CPM workers at Pallikkara in Nileshwaram and Cheruvathur. The BJP supporters said stones were thrown at three buses near the house of P Karunakaran MP on the highway. The windshield of a bus named ‘Firoz’ was shattered and the window panes of another bus, ‘Gazal’, was also damaged. The buses were attacked again while returning at Karivellur, Cheruvathur, Nileshwaram and Padannakkad, said BJP district president K Shreekanth. “The police completely failed in their duty to give protection to the people going to attend a function of the president of a national party,” he said.
BJP workers assaulted
BJP workers were assaulted by suspected CPM workers at Nileshwaram on Monday night. Around 20 suspected CPM workers attacked BJP men setting up flags and buntings at the Market Junction on the national highway as part of the Janaraksha Yatra. The BJP leaders said its Trikaripur mandalam secretary Vijayakumar, Nileshwaram municipality president Sukumaran and BMS zonal president P Krishnakumar were injured in the attack around 9.30 pm on Monday. Krishnakumar suffered injuries on the head.
Yogi Adityanath to join the rally
Kannur: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will participate in the Janarakshayathra on Wednesday, BJP sources said. He will walk with the leader of the march, Kummanam Rajasekharan, from Keecheri to Kannur Town.