Campaign climax triggers violence in Kerala
The partisan frenzy in the final hours of campaign triggered widespread violence across Kerala, inju-ring many, including the PWD minister and LDF candidate from Thiruvananthapuram V. Surendran Pillai.
Workers of the LDF, the UDF and the BJP went berserk in many places, pelting stones at each other and damaging campaign vehicles and offices, as an acerbic poll campaign drew to a close at 5 pm on Monday.
Mr Pillai was injured after LDF and UDF workers clashed in Poonthura in the state capital. He was admitted to a private hospital.
LDF workers took out a march to the Poonthura police station to protest against the attack on the minister and demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits.
The incident occurred when a group of UDF workers clashed with LDF activists charging the latter with disrupting defence minister A.K. Antony’s road show in Poonthura.
Mr Pillai’s motorcade was slightly ahead of Mr Antony’s road show. When it slowed down, Mr Antony was forced to end his road show. This angered the UDF workers which resulted in the clash.
A major clash broke out in Perinthalmanna in Malappuram district. What started as a clash between the UDF and LDF workers ended up as a clash between police and Indian Union Muslim League workers.
The UDF workers pelted stones at cops and damaged police vehicles, following which the police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the violent crowd.
In Mattannur, LDF workers attacked the road show of UDF candidate Joseph Chavara. A Youth Congress leader was injured in the incident and was later admitted to a private hospital for treatment.
In Kannur, a car allegedly driven by UDF works, tried to crash into a public meeting of devaswom minister Kadannapally Ramachandran. The car was later set on fire by LDF workers.
A cameraman of a private news channel was injured in the incident.
A Congress office was attacked by LDF workers in Kayamkulam. The campaign vehicle of Congress candidate was also damaged.
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