The tense situation at Pappinissery and nearby areas here following the clashes between Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) workers still remained as arsonists targeted shops and two-wheelers on the second day of the outbreak of violence.
Despite large deployment of police personnel in the area in view of the escalating tension of the clashes between the CPI(M) and IUML workers, there were fresh incidents in the early hours of Wednesday. Two motorcycles and a furniture shop were set on fire and two shops were attacked by the workers of the rival parties at Pappinissery. The latest incidents have raised the spectre of another spell of violence in the area which recently witnessed clashes between CPI(M) and Popular Front of India (PFI) workers.
The furniture shop owned by an IUML activist, K.P. Musthafa, at the troubled Illippuram was set ablaze by suspected CPI(M) workers in the early hours. The police said that their patrolling team noticed the fire first. The arsonists were said to have poured petrol though the ventilator of the shop and lit the fire. Many of the furniture in the shop were destroyed in the fire.
The arsonists also set fire to the two motorcycles parked on the compound of the house of IUML sympathiser M. Afsal at Puthiyakavu. The two-wheelers were completely damaged in fire.
The office of the Pappinissery Co-operative Tiles Company at Pappinissery West came under attack by alleged IUML activists. All the windowpanes of the office were shattered in the attack. The attackers also destroyed the pots and hollow bricks manufactured by the company.
The trouble began on Monday night leading to incidents of retaliatory attacks in the area. A CPI(M) worker's motorcycle had been set on fire and the Pappinissery Service Co-operative Bank branch at Illippuram attacked on Tuesday. An IUML office and a club controlled by them had also been attacked by suspected CPI(M) workers on Tuesday.
