<p>Political violence returned to Kannur district with two overnight murders — of a CPM activist and a leader of the BJP-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) — leaving the politically sensitive regions in the district on alert on Tuesday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>According to the police, C V Dhanaraj (38), a CPM branch committee member, was hacked to death by a group of unidentified assailants at his home in Ramanthali, at about 10 pm on Monday. Around midnight, BMS leader and an auto-rickshaw driver C K Ramachandran (52) was killed at his home in Annur by unidentified men. Reports said the assailants hurled bombs before attacking Ramachandran.<br /><br />Both the political camps alleged “unprovoked” violence on a day the state police chief Loknath Behera visited Payyannur to take stock of the security situation. Clashes and vandalism were also reported from other parts of the district.<br /><br />The CPM protested Dhanaraj’s killing by holding a hartal in Payyannur. BJP national secretary H Raja told reporters that the party will not remain silent in the face of violence and said more attacks against Sangh activists in Kannur could necessitate action from the Centre.</p>
<p>Political violence returned to Kannur district with two overnight murders — of a CPM activist and a leader of the BJP-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) — leaving the politically sensitive regions in the district on alert on Tuesday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>According to the police, C V Dhanaraj (38), a CPM branch committee member, was hacked to death by a group of unidentified assailants at his home in Ramanthali, at about 10 pm on Monday. Around midnight, BMS leader and an auto-rickshaw driver C K Ramachandran (52) was killed at his home in Annur by unidentified men. Reports said the assailants hurled bombs before attacking Ramachandran.<br /><br />Both the political camps alleged “unprovoked” violence on a day the state police chief Loknath Behera visited Payyannur to take stock of the security situation. Clashes and vandalism were also reported from other parts of the district.<br /><br />The CPM protested Dhanaraj’s killing by holding a hartal in Payyannur. BJP national secretary H Raja told reporters that the party will not remain silent in the face of violence and said more attacks against Sangh activists in Kannur could necessitate action from the Centre.</p>
