Youth killed in hartal

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A DYFI leader was killed in a clash between CPM and IUML activists at Ambangad near Uduma in Kasaragod district on Thursday.

The deceased, 24-year old Manoj Kumar, was president of the Ambangad Cheekanam unit of the DYFI. In the clash, CPM Thachangad local committee secretary M. Karuna- karan and SFI district joint secretary A.V. Shivaprasad were also injured.

The clash occurred when CPM activists were returning after a meeting and demonstration in connection with the hartal called by the party against the arrest of senior party leader P. Jayarajan. Manoj Kumar was seriously injured and died on his way to the hospital.

DYFI state president T.V. Rajesh MLA alleged that Manoj Kumar was beaten and kicked to death by IUML activists and demanded that the government order an impartial probe.

The DYFI would observe Friday as ‘black day’ throughout the state, he said. The LDF would observe a hartal in the district on Friday from 6 in the morning to 6 in the evening.

IUML leaders denied involvement of its activists in the attack. IUML general secretary K.P.A. Majeed said the area was a stronghold of the CPM. IUML Kasaragod leader Cherkulam Abdullah also denied his party activists’ role in the incident.

The body of Manoj Kumar will be taken to his home on Friday after postmortem at Kasaragod general hospital. The deceased is survived by his mother Narayani, sister Sulochana and brothers Suresh and Manikandhan.