By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : The last day of the poll campaign in Kerala Monday saw violence and skirmishes at few places in which a state minister was also injured, police said.
State Minister for Ports V. Surendran Pillai, of the Kerala Congress-Thomas contesting from Thiruvananthapuram assembly constituency, was reportedly roughed up by a group of Congress activists near the coastal area at Poonthura in Thiruvananthapuram.
Police have said the minister has been hospitalised. Pillai is pitted against former Lok Sabha member V.S. Sivakumar.
At Perintalmanna in Malappuram district, a scuffle broke out between Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) supporters and Indian Union Muslim League activists.
The fight began after CPI-M activists carried ice cream cups in an apparent taunt to IUML leader and former minister P.K. Kunhalikutty, who was allegedly involved in a sex scandal dubbed as the “ice cream parlour” case by the media.
Police used batons to restore calm in the area, an official said. Few mediapersons and policemen were also injured in the violence.
At Kunnamangalam in Kozhikode district offices of Bharatiya Janata Party and the IUML were attacked by rival factions.
Kannur and Kayamkulam constituencies also saw minor skirmishes between different groups.