Campaigning ends in violence

[1]

The partisan frenzy in the final hours of campaign triggered widespread violence across the state, injuring many including the PWD minister and LDF candidate from Thiruvna-nthapuram, Mr V. Suren-dran Pillai.

Workers of the LDF, the UDF and the BJP went berserk in many places attacking each other with stones and damaging campaign vehicles and offices, as an acerbic poll campaign drew to a close at 5 pm on Monday.

Mr Pillai was injured after LDF and UDF workers clashed in Poonthura in the state capital. He was later admitted to a private hospital.

LDF workers took out a protest march to the Poonthura police station to protest against the attack on the minister and demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits. The incident occurred when a group of UDF workers clashed with LDF activists charging the latter with disrupting the defence minister, Mr A.K. Antony’s road show in Poonthura.

Mr Pillai’s motorcade was slightly ahead of Mr Antony’s road show. When it slowed down, Mr Antony was forced to end his road show. This angered the UDF workers and it resulted in the clash.

A major clash broke out in Perinthalmanna in Malapp-uram district. What started as a clash between the UDF and LDF workers ended up as a clash between police and Muslim League workers.

The UDF workers pelted stones at cops and damaged police vehicles, following which the police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the violent crowd. In Mattannur, LDF workers attacked the road show of UDF candidate, Mr Joseph Chavara.
A Congress office was attacked by LDF workers in Kayamkulam.