The police in the district are on high alert to avert a fresh flare-up of violence in the politically volatile parts of the district in the wake of the latest tit-for-tat murder of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker on Wednesday that occurred within 48 hours of the killing of a Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] worker K. Mohanan.
The murder of K.V. Ramith at Pinarayi is the latest one since out break of fresh spate of tension in parts of the district following the killing of CPI(M) worker Raveendran by alleged Sangh Parivar workers in a nearby area on the election counting day on May 19.
The murder of CPI(M) worker Dhanraj on July 11 and the retaliatory murder of BJP worker C.K. Ramachandran on July 12 near Payyannur further spiralled prevailing tension.
It was followed by the murder of BJP worker Vineesh at Muzhakkunnu here on September 3, which was in retaliation for the bomb attack on a local CPI(M) worker. With the two latest murders over the past two days, the number of those killed in political clashes over the past five months has risen to six.
“It looks like the situation is getting worse,” confided a senior police officer, because one never knows when the next attack happens in a volatile atmosphere. The rival party workers were not living in separate areas but in areas that were contiguous, he said adding that it was sometimes difficult to police in interior parts, especially in the late hours.
Despite measures to avoid escalation over the past few months, there has not been any let up in escalation of the tense situation. The police claim that the situation would have been worse if such measures had not been taken. The number of houses and properties destroyed in retaliation would have gone up but for the deployment of force in politically sensitive areas.
The police said that nearly 500 raids had been conducted in different parts of the district over the past five months. A major concern of the police in the district was to ensure that only real culprits were brought to book without succumbing to the offer of rival parties concerned to produce their respective lists of accused.
Meanwhile, Additional Director General of Police Sudesh Kumar visited Pinarayi here on Wednesday to review the law and order situation.
The murder of K.V. Ramith at Pinarayi is the latest one since out break of fresh spate of tension in parts of the district following the killing of CPI(M) worker Raveendran by alleged Sangh Parivar workers in a nearby area on the election counting day on May 19.
The murder of CPI(M) worker Dhanraj on July 11 and the retaliatory murder of BJP worker C.K. Ramachandran on July 12 near Payyannur further spiralled prevailing tension.
It was followed by the murder of BJP worker Vineesh at Muzhakkunnu here on September 3, which was in retaliation for the bomb attack on a local CPI(M) worker. With the two latest murders over the past two days, the number of those killed in political clashes over the past five months has risen to six.
“It looks like the situation is getting worse,” confided a senior police officer, because one never knows when the next attack happens in a volatile atmosphere. The rival party workers were not living in separate areas but in areas that were contiguous, he said adding that it was sometimes difficult to police in interior parts, especially in the late hours.
Despite measures to avoid escalation over the past few months, there has not been any let up in escalation of the tense situation. The police claim that the situation would have been worse if such measures had not been taken. The number of houses and properties destroyed in retaliation would have gone up but for the deployment of force in politically sensitive areas.
The police said that nearly 500 raids had been conducted in different parts of the district over the past five months. A major concern of the police in the district was to ensure that only real culprits were brought to book without succumbing to the offer of rival parties concerned to produce their respective lists of accused.
Meanwhile, Additional Director General of Police Sudesh Kumar visited Pinarayi here on Wednesday to review the law and order situation.