BJP buses stoned as Amit Shah launches Janaraksha Yatra in Kerala

KASARGOD: Trouble broke out in northern Kerala as BJP national president Amit Shah launched the party’s Janaraksha Yatra at Payannur this morning. Buses transporting BJP workers to the yatra came under attack, allegedly by CPM workers, at Pallikkara in Nileshwaram on Tuesday morning.

Saffron party supporters said stones were thrown at three buses near the house of P Karunakaran, MP, on the highway. The windshield of a bus was shattered, and the windowpanes of another were damaged.

BJP district president K Shreekanth reached Pallikkara and led a sit-in on the highway, blocking traffic for more than an hour. He said police did not provide any security in the area.

Police have deployed more personnel in that stretch, a CPM bastion, to prevent untoward incidents when BJP workers return to Kasargod after the programme.

BJP workers were allegedly assaulted by CPM workers at Nileshwaram on Monday night too. Around 20 CPM workers attacked BJP men who were erecting flags and buntings at the Market Junction on the national highway ahead of the Janaraksha Yatra.

The BJP leaders said its Trikaripur Mandalam secretary Vijayakumar, Nileshwaram municipality president Sukumaran, BMS zonal president P Krishnakumar were injured in the attack around 9.30 pm on Monday. Krishnakumar Kumar suffered injuries ti his on head and was sub-conscious, it said. A motorcycle was also vandalised.

The injured were admitted in a private hospital in Mavungal.

Leaders of the DYFI -- the youth wing of the CPM -- Anoop, Pranav and Sanoop led the assault, the BJP alleged.

Earlier, the BJP's mandalam secretary of Kaliyassery in Kanur Sajeevan was also assaulted, it said.