BJP worker killed, Kannur tense
KANNUR: Kannur district witnessed another political murder when a BJP worker was hacked to death in Andallur, near Dharmadom on Wednesday night. There were many big and small incidents of violence after the incident. When the attack took place, the victim E. Santhosh was alone at his house while his wife Baby and children Sarang and Vismaya were at Baby’s house, three km away. After the attack he himself informed his relatives over phone and neighbours reached the house to take him to Indira Gandhi Cooperative hospital, Thalassery.
However, Santhosh was declared brought dead and his body was taken to Pariyaram Medical college for post-mortem. When his body was being taken through Kannur town in a procession, before cremation, police stopped BJP leaders and workers, to avoid clashes. However, when a chance to pay public homage to the body was refused, the leaders started a sit-in protest near the Kalolsavam venue. When the talks with district police chief K.P. Philip also failed, Collector Mir Mohammed Ali intervened to let three vehicles of the leaders as well as the ambulance to pass through Kannur.
The body was placed to pay respects at Chirakkuni and later, cremated in his house. Bomb squad and dog squad arrived the scene to collect evidence. The cremation was over at around 6.30 pm and soon after that, the Collector called an all-party meeting at 8 pm. Bikes were burnt in Andallur after the cremation and more police force was deployed in the area. The force that was called back on account of Kalolsavam were reinstated along with the extra force.