Three killed in renewed violence in Kannur

Kannur, Mar 05 (UNI) Two RSS activists and a CPI(M) worker were killed and three others sustained serious stab injuries in clashes in the politically volatile Thalasseri in this district of Kerala today.

The deceased were identified as P Santhosh(35), Nikhil(22), both RSS activists, and CPI(M) activist M P Ranjith Kumar(39), police said.

Three RSS activists who suffered serious stab injuries in an attack, allegedly by CPI(M) activists, were rushed to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.

A tense situation prevailed in the area even as District Collector Ishitha Roy imposed prohibitory orders under the police station limits of Thalassery, Panoor, Chokli, Dharmodam and Kathirur. Police picketting has also been strengthened in the trouble-torn region.

Sangh parivar organisations called a dawn-to dusk Harthal in Kannur district tomorrow to protest the killing of RSS activists.

Kathirur police said the body of Santhosh of Eruvatty near Koothuparamba was found near Panunda road at Pachapoyika around 1800 hrs.

Dharmadom police said a group of people, allegedly CPI(M) activists, stopped a lorry in which Nikhil of Parakkat was travelling and hacked him to death using swords.

In an apparent retalliation, Rajith Kumar of Illikunnu in Thalassery was hacked to death by a group of suspected RSS activists.

Two RSS activist of Kathirur suffered serious stab injury and hospitalised at Kozhikode medical college. Police identified as K Ranjith (35) and K Vinayan (32) was injured in an attack in people colony road around 1600 hours.

In Kathirur, a BJP supported Vivekandha library in Munnammile was ransacked and attacked with country bombs. They also danged two houses of BJP workers.

UNI AK/CR2005