KANNUR: In a fresh bout of violence, a CPM activist and a BJP worker were killed in gruesome attacks in Payyanur on Monday night. Both the activists were hacked to death in their homes near Payyannur. According to the police, CPM worker C V Danaraj, 36, a native of Kunnaru near Ramanthali, was hacked to death at his home in Payyannur by unidentified assailants at 10.15 pm. The motor cycle borne gang which was following him attacked and hacked him with sharp weapons, as he was about to enter the house.
Though he was rushed to the Pariyaram Medical College hospital, he succumbed to injuries. In less than an hour, 46-year-old C K Ramachandran, leader of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) and an autorickshaw driver, was allegedly killed in retaliation of the murder of the CPM activist. The assailants first attacked his home with a crude bomb, broke the doors and later hacked him in front of his wife and children. Soon, about 16 houses of BJP workers in various places were damaged. The newly constructed house of Kunhikrishnan, where house warming was held on Sunday, was completely damaged by attackers. Similarly buses, motor bikes and household equipment of BJP workers were also completely damaged.
Meanwhile CPM district secretary P Jayarajan, said the killing of party workers showed that BJP/RSS was planning to unleash violence in the state.
He said the BJP is killing people on one side and terming the CPM as Fascist. The incident of two CPM activists being killed post elections, only point to the RSS/ BJP agenda, he added.
Meanwhile BJP district leader P Sathyaprakash denied the allegation that the party was involved in the murder. He demanded a proper and thorough investigation into the case.
He said Dhanraj has been an accused in criminal cases and was associated with criminal gangs. Sathyaprakash said the murder of Ramachandran was a planned one. The phones of police officials were not working at the time, he said. Meanwhile the hartal called by CPM was total in the area. The body of Dhanraj was kept for public display after postmortem.
It is feared that the latest attacks would trigger another cycle of violence between the two parties in the state. Police personnel and Rapid Action Forces have been deployed in various places to keep vigil and prevent untoward incidents.