The BJP has called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal today in politically volatile Kannur district after its activist was killed in a midnight assault, which it blamed directly on traditional rival CPI(M).
Santhosh (52) was hacked to death reportedly after a gang broke into his house at around 11.30 pm last night at Dharmadom, the Assembly constituency represented by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Police suspect this is in continuation of a series of attacks and counter-attacks launched by the student wings of the BJP and the CPI(M) following altercations at the nearby Brennen College campus.
The police are on heightened alert to prevent such incidents from escalating to full-scale violence involving the two parties, which is not new to Kannur and its neighbourhood.
Meanwhile, BJP district president P Sathyaprakash has said the ongoing state school festival in Kannur has been excluded from the purview of the hartal.
But, he said, no vehicles would be allowed to ply in the district. The Chief Minister is responsible for the midnight assault and murder and owes an explanation in Kannur, he said.
Meanwhile, an RSS office was targeted by miscreants at nearby Thaliparamba within an hour of the killing of the BJP activist in Dharmadom.
Bombs hurled at the office damaged windows, doors and some furniture but no one was injured, according to information available with the police.