Sporadic incidents of violence were reported at Mangad, near Uduma, late on Tuesday. The police lobbed smoke grenades to disperse Congress and Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI-M] workers. Several persons, including a sub-inspector (SI), were injured when the police used mild force.
Clashes between rival groups started after one Khalid, a Congress loyalist, behaved ‘rudely’ with a CPI(M) worker. A group of people gathered apparently to target Khalid. He managed to flee the spot. The group wantonly threw stones, damaging a nearby building.
The police, led by District Police Chief A. Srinivas, in their bid to disperse the restive mob, had to use 22 smoke grenades. Anandakrishnan, an SI attached to the Bekal station, was injured.
A vehicle used by A.J. Mathew, SI, Ambalathara station, was damaged in the melee. The mob targeted several other vehicles as well.
The police registered cases against over a 100 people under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code, including under Section 308 (attempt to murder). The police stepped up security in the area.
