Largescale violence was witnessed in Kanjirathani under Thrithala Assembly Constituency on Wednesday morning when Congress workers tried to thwart attempts by CPI (M) cadres to disrupt a private function attended by local MLA V.T. Balram, whose unsavory comments against late Communist icon A.K. Gopalan kicked up a major row recently.
Despite stone pelting and hurling of rotten eggs, the Congress MLA attended the inauguration of a private clinical laboratory amid tight police security. Mr. Balram, who was chief guest on the occasion, told mediapersons later that a rotten egg hurled by an alleged CPI(M) worker had hit his right cheek. He sustained minor injuries in stone pelting and his official vehicle was also damaged.
The police had a tough time dispersing rival groups and finally resorted to lathicharge, causing injuries to over 30 persons belonging to both the camps. A police constable was severely injured when Congress workers countered the police action. A heavy posse of police is camping in the area to avert further tension.
UDF calls hartal
Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) has called a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Thrithala Assembly constituency on Thursday to protest, what it called, “police excesses and CPI(M) intolerance.”
The trouble began around 10.30 a.m. when over a thousand CPI(M) cadres thronged Kanjirathani junction to physically prevent Mr. Balram from attending the function. It was the first public appearance of the MLA after his comments on A.K. Gopalan. Hundreds of Congress workers from different parts of the constituency also rushed to the spot to protect to their MLA. Hurling of rotten eggs and stone pelting began when the MLA reached the clinical laboratory. Both sides engaged in a street fight when the MLA decided to disregard the CPI(M) demand to return without attending the function. The police force present at that time could not disperse the rival groups.
Congress workers burst crackers in jubilation after the MLA attended the function and this resulted in angry reaction from CPI(M) workers. Clashes continued for about one hour though the MLA returned home under police escort.
The lathicharge began after the arrival of additional police force from nearby stations. Half-a-dozen private vehicles parked close to the Kanjirathani junction were also damaged in the incident.
