Tension prevailed in parts of Taliparamba as sporadic incidents of violence were reported on Tuesday after the law and order situation following clashes between Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) workers at Ariyil near Pattuvam escalated in the wake of the attack on CPI(M) leaders including district secretary P. Jayarajan and T.V. Rajesh, MLA, and subsequent murder of an IUML worker on February 20.
The 12-hour hartal called by the CPI(M) to protest against the attack on its leaders was near total. The hartal was marred by violent incidents including stabbing of a CPI(M) worker and pelting of stones on the vehicle of Muslim Youth League Leader K.M. Shaji, MLA. There were also reports of attacks on offices of the IUML in different parts of the district.
The entire Pattuvam and nearby areas were gripped by tension following the attacks on the CPI(M) leaders and their vehicles at Ariyil by alleged IUML workers on February 20 morning and the killing of IUML worker A. Shukkoor (22), hailing from Ariyil, at nearby Vallavamkadavu under the Kannapuram police station limits on Monday afternoon.
Tension further escalated on Tuesday morning when a local CPI(M) worker, identified as P. Mohanan (45), was attacked at his residence at Thanalur near Ariyil at 7-30 a.m. The police said that a group of suspected IUML workers stormed into the house of Mr. Mohanan and stabbed him. He has been admitted to the Pariyaram Medical College Hospital with stab injuries in his head.
The police burst stun grenades to disperse mobs of rival CPI(M) and IUML workers who were assembled near Ariyil before the body of the slain IUML was brought for burial in the local mosque. Large number of police personnel was deployed in the area in view of the tension anticipated before and after the funeral. The police said that stones were pelted at Mr. Shaji’s vehicle at Pulimparamba near Ariyil at 1. 40 p.m. while he was on his way back after attending the funeral. The incident occurred immediately after the vehicle carrying K. Sudhakaran, MP, passed. No one was injured in the incident.
Mr. Sudhakaran told reporters here in the afternoon that the incidents of violence were instigated by the CPI(M) as part of secret agenda to target IUML workers in the area. He, however, said that the attempts of the CPI(M) to carry out its secret agenda did not succeed.
CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and former Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan alleged that the outbreak of violent incidents in the district was a result of the handing over of the control over the police stations in the IUML-dominant areas to that party. He said that the Oommen Chandy government had apportioned administration of police among coalition partners in the UDF. He also said that the CPI(M) would extend it full co-operation to all peace efforts in the district.
The police said that apart from deployment of a large posse of police personnel in the tension-hit areas, patrolling was also intensified to avert retaliatory attacks. Prohibitory orders were also clamped for three days in areas under police station limits including Taliparamba, Pariyaram, Pazhayangadi, Sreekantapuram, Payyavur, Payyannur, Peringome, Mattannur, Irikkur, Kannur Town, Kannur City, Edakkad, Chakkarakkal, Valapattanam, Kannavam and Mayyil.
