Peace in the State capital was shattered after clashes broke out between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) late on Thursday and continued until the early hours of Friday.
Retaliatory attacks that were triggered by the destruction of a flagpole resulted in several political activists sustaining injuries, besides the state committee offices of the BJP and Students’ Federation of India (SFI), residences of various leaders and several vehicles coming under attack.
Activists of the rival parties went on a rampage after a group of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) destroyed a SFI flagpole that had been erected on the premises of a college in Iranimuttom, near Attukal. This led to attacks on at least 10 houses, including those belonging to councillors of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
The BJP State committee office at Kunnukuzhy came under attack, allegedly by a team led by CPI(M) councillor I.P. Binu, in the early hours of Friday. BJP State president Kummanam Rajasekharan was reportedly insid the building at the time of the incident.
A short while later, BJP activists allegedly retaliated by vandalising the residence of CPI(M) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan’s son Bineesh Kodiyeri at Maruthamkuzhi. Vehicles that were parked on the premises were also damaged in both the incidents.
Mr. Binu and others who were allegedly part of the attack on the BJP office, including SFI district president Prathin Saj Krishna, were suspended by the CPI(M), pending investigation in the case.
Reacting to the wave of violent clashes, Mr. Balakrishnan alleged that they were orchestrated by the BJP in an attempt to divert public attention from the medical college bribery scam. On the other hand, BJP state general secretary M.T. Ramesh accused the CPI(M) of plotting to murder Mr. Rajasekharan for the second time, the first attempt allegedly being made during a similar incident a month ago.
