Hartal across Kerala after RSS activist hacked to death

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 30: The Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies on Sunday observing a state-wide dawn-to-dusk hartal in Kerala after an RSS activist was hacked to death allegedly by a group of CPI(M) workers at Sreekaryam in Thiruvananthapuram around 9.30 p.m. on Saturday.

S.N. Rajesh, 34, who had suffered deeps wounds in his hands and legs breathed his last at a private hospital. He was going home after attending the daily meeting of his organization when the incident took place.

Violence continued to rock the city and its suburbs for the third consecutive day on Saturday. Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from the outskirts of the city, especially Kattakada and Parassala.

There was heavy deployment of police personnel in various parts of the city to ensure that there were no further retaliatory attacks in the aftermath of a series of clashes among CPI(M) and BJP activists since Thursday.

Focused on bringing to book those responsible for the attacks, the city police took three more persons, allegedly BJP activists, into custody in connection with the attack on the residence of CPI(M) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan’s son Bineesh Kodiyeri.

The Poojappura police, which apprehended the three persons were yet to divulge their identities.

The police on Friday had arrested 11 activists of either parties, including CPI(M) councillor I.P. Binu of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, following which they were remanded to judicial custody for 14 days.

Isolated incidents of violence were reported from other parts of the district, including Kattakada, despite prohibitory orders. Unidentified miscreants threw stones at the house of CPI(M) Kattakada town branch secretary Tomy Antony by around 11.30 p.m. on Friday. The CPI(M) alleged the incident to be the handiwork of BJP activist.

Separately, Inspector General (Thiruvananthapuram zone) Manoj Abraham announced a reward of Rs. 5,000 for Prathinjaya Kumar, the civil police officer attached to the Museum police, for his brave deed in attempting to apprehend those who were behind the attack on the BJP office.