Clashes between workers of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) led to violence and total shutdown in Olavanna panchayat here on Tuesday.
Violence started at 8.30 p.m. on Tiruvonam day after workers of the RSS and the SDPI clashed at near Pantheerankavu, leading to four youths belonging to the local the RSS unit and one from the SDPI being admitted to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital with serious injuries on Monday night.
The violence led to the Bharatiya Janata Party calling for hartal on Tuesday in Olavanna panchayat. Tension was high in the area with police increasing patrolling and a total clampdown on congregations of any kind.
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“The tensions between the two groups started when a Hindu youth participated in a demonstration organised by the SDPI two weeks ago. Some RSS workers had waylaid him and questioned him about his participation. This was overheard by SDPI workers, which led to a heated exchange of words between the two factions. The incident got blown over and led to the violence,” K.R. Premachandran, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Kozhikode South, said.
Nallalam police have registered a case against three persons identified as Shameen Saad, 19; Saifulla C., 31, and Rahees P., 28.