Kannur: C.O.T. Naseer, a former CPM leader who is challenging party strongman P. Jayarajan in Vadakara as an independent, sustained grievous injuries after a three-member gang hacked him late Saturday evening.
Police said the 37-year-old was rushed to the Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode and he's getting treated there for stab injuries on head, stomach, arms and legs.
The gang came on a motorbike and knocked him down as he was heading home on a scooter. It was the third attempt on his life since he left the party, including one during his campaigning.
He was a member of Thalassery Municipal Council before falling out with the party after objecting to a column seeking to reveal religious identity while applying for membership. He also questioned the murderous politics of the party under Mr Jayarajan.
He was accused of being a ringleader who stoned Oommen Chandy when he was the chief minister injuring him in his chest.
Later, he met the senior Congress leader saying he was not part of his attackers and the CPM was trapping him. The candidature of Mr Naseer who belongs to a prominent Muslim family in Thalassery had resulted in a drain in the support base of the CPM in the region. His campaigning with his young friends who are singers was attracting crowds.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and KPCC president Mullapally Ramachandranhave condemned the dastardly attack on Mr Naseer, saying that this is yet another instance of the CPM campaign of political violence. Mr Ramachandran equated the dastardly attack on the young leader to the murderous attack on CPM dissident leader T P. Chandrashekharan in Vadakara years ago. The CPM -led violence was a major political campaign during the electioneering in Vadakara constituency.
