In an escalation of tension, houses and vehicles of nine activists of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) were damaged in bomb attacks in and around Payyannur in the early hours of Sunday. The incidents took place in the Kankol, Vellur, and Ramanthali areas.
In a separate incident, a local office of the CPI(M) at Malur, near Mattannur, was vandalised by suspected BJP workers following a clash between rival activists over a local dispute. Another CPI(M) office at Maruvancheri under the Malur police station limits also came under attack, the police said.
The incidents of attacks near Payyannur worsened the law and order situation in the area that had witnessed tension since the BJP held a public rally at Payyannur to commemorate the slain Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) leader K.T. Jayakrishnan on December 1.
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The houses of BJP district committee member A.K. Rajmohan at Kankol, BJYM district unit president K.P. Arun Kumar at Vellur, and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh district functionary Rajesh at Kara were among the houses that came under bomb attack on Sunday.
Two motorcycles and two cars were damaged in the attacks. Houses of BJP activists at Thayineri and two CPI(M) activists at Kakkampara, near Ramanthali, were also damaged in the attacks.