CPM office attacked, BJP men held

Clashes involving activists of BJP-RSS and the ruling CPM broke out in Thiruvananthapuram late on Sunday night, leading to injuries, arrests and retaliatory vandalism.

BJP-RSS activists allegedly pelted stones at the CPM district committee office here, causing minor damage to the building. In Karikkakom in the city, two activists of the CPM-affiliated Democratic Youth Federation of India were injured in an armed attack. Seven BJP-RSS workers have been detained in connection with the violence. CPM workers damaged BJP flag-posts in retaliation.

The clashes came a day after the Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation Council witnessed unruly scenes and scuffles that left an injured Mayor, V K Prasanth, hospitalised. The CPM alleged that the mayor was manhandled by BJP councillors and RSS "outsiders" who were brought in for the attack. On Sunday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condemned the incident after visiting the mayor. The BJP district leadership dismissed the allegations and said the mayor had injured himself after a fall during the commotion.

Devaswom and Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said the attacks were part of organised violence. The CPM district leadership hit out at the police for having failed to rein in the perpetrators. The party is set to hold a series of protests in Thiruvananthapuram against the violence, on Monday.