Ten BJP workers, three others injured in separate group clashes

Kasargod, Dec 22: At least ten Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers, including the party's SC/ST Morcha president P. Sudheer, were injured after a group of persons, allegedly Communist Party of India (Marxist) workers, attacked them at Cheemeni town on Wednesday. Two police personnel were also injured in the attack.

The attack came as Mr. Sudheer was addressing a meeting in connection with the demonetisation of high-value currency notes. A police team, led by Cheemeni SI M.Sreedharan, tried to disperse the crowd. In the melee, Mr. Sreedharan and constable Shaju suffered injuries.

The injured BJP workers were admitted to a hospital at Ramnagar in Kanhangad.

Mr. Sudheer, a lawyer, had held talks with the displaced tribesmen of Malathumpara Colony at Periye, who were on a hunger strike in front of the Central University of Kerala seeking jobs for those who had to vacate their land for the university.

The local CPI(M) leadership, including K. Kunhiramaan, MLA, had been insisting that the university provide jobs to one of the eligible family members who had to vacate their land for the university. Sources here said Mr. Sudheer's talks with the tribespeople explaining the difficulties in acceding to their demands led to the attack, sources said.

The police have registered cases under various IPC sections in connection with the attack.

Three injured

In a separate incident, three youths were injured, one seriously, in a clash involving two groups at Cherkala, near Kasargod.

Those injured were identified as Noufal, 24, Muhammed Hashim, 22, and Abdul Shihab, 25.

While the seriously injured Noufal was rushed to a hospital in Mangaluru, the others were being treated at the General Hospital here, a senior officer at the Vidhanagar police station said.

The incident followed an altercation over bathing in a stream at Edaneer earlier in the day, the police said. Kasaragod Town SI K. Ajith Kumar sustained injuries after he fell into a ditch while giving chase to youths allegedly involved in the clash.

The police have taken two youths into custody in connection with the incident.