By IANS
Kannur (Kerala) : Political violence here claimed one more life Saturday as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activist succumbed to his injuries, taking the death toll to seven in the violence that broke out between the cadres of the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and the BJP three days ago.
The deceased, K.V. Surendran, was attacked by a gang at his home late Friday. The 45-year-old man died at a hospital here early morning.
Two people, reportedly CPI-M activists, were meanwhile injured in an attack at Thalassery, 20 km north from here. Police have arrested 17 people in Thalassery so far.
Kannur district has been a hotbed of political violence between the CPI-M and the BJP-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) combine.
The current bout of violence started when an RSS leader was attacked in Thalassery town Wednesday. There people lost their lives later Wednesday in retaliation by RSS and BJP and in counter attacks by the CPI-M. While one person was killed Thursday, two others were murdered Friday.
The BJP observed Friday as a ‘protest day’, alleging that the CPI-M had unleashed a violent campaign in Kannur district against the saffron party.