Kerala: Youth Congress leader hacked to death
A Youth Congress leader died this morning after being attacked by a group of men in North Kerala's Kannur district yesterday. 30-year-old Shuhaib was the Youth Congress president of Keezhallor mandalam. He and his friends were at a roadside eatery at Edayannur when unidentified men hurled country-made bombs at them, then attacked him with sharp weapons. Police suspect CPI(M) supporters' involvement.
Attack came two weeks after clash between SFI and KSU
The attack came two weeks after a clash between the Students' Federation of India and Kerala Students Union, youth wings of CPI(M) and Congress, at Edayannur. Shuhaib was rushed to a Kannur hospital, but died while being shifted to another hospital. Noushad and Riyas, Shuhaib's friends, were also injured in the attack. The assailants, who escaped in a van, are yet to be nabbed.
CPI(M) denies involvement in the attack
The Congress has blamed the CPI(M) for the murder and called for a dawn-to-dusk bandh in Kannur district today. "It seems CPI(M) can't survive without violence," said district Congress president Satheesan Pacheni. But CPI(M) leaders in Matannur have denied involvement in the attack.
A spate of political violence in Kerala in recent years
Political violence in Kerala can be traced to 1960s, which has been attributed to authoritarian stance of communists against opponents, RSS's strong pro-Hindutva stance and creeping fundamentalism. In recent years, increasing hostility between ideologies of political parties has led to massive number of murders. Since 1980s, over 200 people have been killed in political attacks in Kannur, hotbed of Kerala violence.
