A noon-to-dusk hartal was observed in the Pudussery-Kanjikode belt of the district on Monday following the death of a 41-year-old activist of the Mahila Morcha, the women’s wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The victim, Vimala Kannan of Chadayankala, near Kanjikode, had sustained burns after her house was set afire allegedly by CPI(M) activists.
Kanjikode had witnessed clashes involving CPI(M) and BJP activists recently. A group of men, allegedly belonging to the CPI(M), attacked Vimala’s house in the early hours of December 28. Her brother-in-law and BJP worker Radhakrishnan, who also sustained burns, died last week. Vimala has been undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Coimbatore. Her husband Kannan too is under treatment with burns and his condition is critical. At first, the miscreants set ablaze a cattle shed in Vimala’s compound and then moved on to torch three motorbikes parked on the premises. As the two-wheelers caught fire, an LPG cylinder kept near the motorbikes exploded.
Neighbours tried to remove the gas cylinder, but by then it had exploded. Kannan and Vimala sustained burns while trying to douse the fire. Radhakrishnan’s wife and two children were rescued by local people. A major tragedy was averted as people shifted another gas cylinder from the kitchen.
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Protest day
Special Correspondent writes from Kottayam: BJP leaders who assembled in Kottayam for the party State council meet took out a silent march in protest against CPI(M) violence and the Kanjikode incident.
Party State president Kummanam Rajasekharan demanded a compensation of ₹50 lakh to the family of Radhakrishnan. He wanted the government to rebuild the house destroyed in the explosion. The BJP will observe Tuesday as a day of protest.
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