The Vadakara police on Tuesday arrested three activists of the CPI(M) in connection with the destruction of the Martyr‘s column of Revolutionary Marxist Party leader T. P. Chandrasekharan at Vallikad on Saturday night.
Those arrested were Nithin, 21, of Nadukandi, Dinoop, 22, of Akavalappil, and Jithin, 22, of Valiyaparambathu, all hailing from Vallikad. They were charged with sections 427 (mischief causing damage) and 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) of the IPC, the police said.
The destruction of the Martyr’s column had led to clashes in the region. A march taken out by the RMP activists in protest against the incident turned violent. A local committee office of the CPI (M) at Vallikad reportedly came under attack from the protesters.
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The police had to fire tear gas shells to quell the violence. Three persons including a Circle Inspector were injured during the clashes. A pose of police personnel is camping in the area.
Chandrasekharan, a dissident leader who walked out of the CPI (M) in 2008, was hacked to death at Vallikad by a hired gang on May 4, 2012. The RMP had then erected the Martyr’s column on the very spot. Previously, the police had taken into custody two CPI (M) activists for vandalising the memorial.
On Monday, the Vadakara Tahsildar T. Janilkumar convened an all-party meeting to restore peace in the region. Consequently political parties decided not to hold any protest meetings in the area that could further vitiate the atmosphere. It was also decided to organise peace meetings in all the troubled grama panchayats.
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The first peace meeting was held at Chorodu grama panchayat on Tuesday. Similar meetings will be held at Onchiyam and Eramala gramapanchayats on April 18 and 19 respectively.