KOTTAYAM: In a chain of events that led to a row between the local committees of the BJP and the CPM, the members of two parties clashed at Illickal near Thiruvarppu in Kottayam injuring six men from both parties on Wednesday.The incident took place at 6 pm, when the participants of a protest march held by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and BJP, allegedly pelted stones towards the Illickal local committee office of CPI. Six activists, including CPM’s Chengalam local secretary Basheer, were admitted to the Kottayam District Hospital following injuries.
There was a friction between the BJP and CPM after somebody threw out the BJP flag at Illickal. In protest, the followers of RSS and BJP took out a march from Kanjiram to the CPM office, which resulted in the clash.
“It was an unexpected attack by RSS and BJP activists coming from various places. Members of the CPM, who were inside the party office during that time, protested against an attempt to uproot a flagpole which stood in front of the office. This led to a clash leaving men from both sides injured.