Tension gripped the city late Thursday after an unidentified person on a motorbike exploded a firecracker in front of AKG Centre.
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Grainy surveillance camera footage showed the person hurling what seemed to be a throwdown-type cracker on the road in front of the CPI(M) State headquarters.
A police officer said the preliminary crime scene investigation had revealed that the explosive contained no shrapnel. The City police have registered a case for illegal use of explosives.
Scores of angry Democratic Youth Federation of India workers took to the street in protest. Party cadres threw a security ring around the CPI(M) State headquarters. The State police have upped the security in the vicinity of Congress offices. They have intensified night patrolling to pre-empt retaliatory violence.
Left Democratic Front (LDF) convener E. P. Jayarajan said the “firebomb attack” occurred after 11.30 p.m. No senior leaders were in the building. Security had closed both the gates. He said the “arsonist” chose the second gate as his target to give the police guarding the front entrance the slip. Mr. Jayarajan linked the attack to the continuing “Congress violence” against party leaders and Ministers.