KOCHI: An anti-drugs campaigner was attacked by a 36-year-old man at Thuthiyoor near Kakkanad on Monday. The victim, Babu Antony, a resident of Thuthiyoor, is a state council member of the Kerala Latin Catholic Association.
Thuthiyoor native Manoj has been arrested in connection with the assault. Babu had been actively campaigning against drug abuse in his locality.
“I know Manoj well. He has been using ganja since he was 15. I believe he held a grudge against me because of my anti-narcotics campaigns. Around 10 am, while I was passing near his house, he attacked me with a hammer. Though I tried to block the attack, the hammer struck my wrist, and I fell into a nearby stream. He even waited for me to come out to attack again,” Babu said.
After Manoj left the scene, Babu managed to climb out of the water and seek medical aid. He suffered a fracture in one of his wrists. Thrikkakara police soon arrived at the spot and took Manoj into custody.
“We have registered a case and arrested Manoj. He is behaving abnormally. Only after a medical examination can we confirm whether he was under the influence of drugs at the time of the attack,” said P V Baby, Thrikkakara assistant commissioner of police.