Violence in Kannur: All-party peace meeting today

Wednesday, February 22, 2012: An all-party peace meeting convened by the district administration will be held here today in the backdrop of sporadic incidents of violence following clashes between CPM and IUML workers at Ariyil near Pattuvam on February 20.
The State police have deployed 400 police personnel including the Indian Reserve Battalion to prevent any untoward incidents. Meanwhile a tense situation is prevailing here in Kannur on Tuesday, even as police authorities have clamped prohibitory orders for a period of three days following the violent incidents of yesterday.
The police also imposed restriction on the movement of two-wheeler with pillion riders. Meanwhile, one CPI (M) worker suffered stab injuries in an attack at Kottunghal near Ariyil under Thaliparamaba police limits this morning.
According to police, P Mohanan (45) of Kottunghal suffered stab injuries on his head in an attack by a gang at 8 am. The gang entered his house and attacked him with iron rods. He was admitted to Pariyaram Medical College Hospital. Meanwhile, two houses of CPI (M) workers Chandran and Sajeevan at Ariyil and Poyyil respectively were damaged allegedly by IUML activists.
The LDF and UDF have called dawn to dusk district ‘hartal’. Shops and establishments, including government offices and banks, remained closed. Vehicular traffic was also affected, except for very few two wheelers that plied on the roads. The hartal was called by LDF to protest against the manhandling of CPI (M) leaders, including District Secretary P Jayarajan and T V Rajesh, MLA, DYFI State Secretary and damaging of their vehicles by allegedly IUML activists, yesterday.
While, UDF called the district hartal to protest against the murder of IUML activist Shukkoor (22), who was the Treasurer of Muslim Students Federation (MSF), Thaliparamba unit, at Kannapuram, yesterday. IUML leaders alleged that yesterday’s violence broke out when the CPI (M) leaders’ vehicle was hit by an IUML activist K P Ansar at Ariyil. In view of the developments, police have deployed large number of forces in the sensitive areas of the district.