A 39-year-old man's palm was severed by a group of persons at Valiyazheekal, near Kayamkulam here, on Friday.
Sources said Ponnumon, a glass trader and an activist of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was attacked by a gang of seven unidentified persons at about 3.30 p.m.
The assailants came in an autorickshaw. Sources said the assailants were suspected to be activists of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) who had come in search of Mr. Ponnumon's brother-in-law Arun Thampi, also a BJP activist. On seeing the gang, Mr. Arun fled the spot. They barged into the shop and attacked Mr. Ponnumon.
He was rushed to a private hospital in Ernakulam where he is undergoing treatment. The Kayamkulam police have taken one person into custody in connection with the incident.
District Superintendent of Police P.G. Ashok Kumar and senior police officials have rushed to the spot. A huge posse of policemen has been deployed in the area.
