Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network - Kasargod (SP)
Kasargod, Aug 29: District bandh call given for today by CPM, condemning the murder of one of its activists on Saturday August 29 has been a total success. Private and government buses have remained off the roads. A handful of vehicles owned by private persons are moving around, and roads wear a deserted look. The district bandh will be of 12-hour duration between 6 am and 6 pm.
A couple of government buses moved about early morning. Thereafter, the buses have stopped undertaking trips, catching passengers unawares, many of whom have got stranded at different spots.Hundreds of passengers who arrived at the local railway station in the morning are struggling to reach their destinations as no modes of transport are available. Most of them have come from far off places for taking part in Onam festival, but their spirits have been dampened by the transport problem at hand. August 29 being the third day of Onam festival, happens to be an important occasion. Many have expressed resentment at organizing bandh on this important festival day.
Shops and establishments have not opened their shutters. There have been reports of stones and logs having been placed across roads to block movement of vehicles at various places. Tight police security has been arranged at the spot where a CPM activist was murdered, and the police have registered case against three persons relating to this crime. District superintendent of police has warned that those who try to disrupt peace would face stringent action.
Additional police contingents have been deployed at strategic places.
Postmortem was conducted on the remains of murdered CPM activist, Narayana, at Pariyaram Medical College Hospital on Saturday morning. Funeral will take place in the afternoon at his native place, Kodo Beloor. His brother, Aravindan, who has been admitted into a hospital at Mangaluru with grave injuries, is being treated in the intensive care unit.
Three persons who arrived by a motor bike had stabbed Narayana and Aravindan, who were inside a library at Kayakunnu near Kanhangad on Friday August 28 evening, with lethal weapons. Narayanan had died while being taken to hospital, while Aravindan survived the journey.
This murder has cast black shadow on Onam festivities. The political frictions have not spared festival days. During the last two years, two CPM activists were killed on Tiruvonam days, with CPM activist, Balakrishnan, having been murdered on the day of Onam festival at Uduma in 2013.
In that incident, some Congress activists had been named as accused. Two years later, another murder of CPM activist happened on Tiruvonam day. In the previous occasion, bandh had been called a day after Tiruvonam. CPM has given a call for Hartal in the district tomorrow too.
Raging political enmity has accounted for another political activist in the district. No one knows when these killings will stop.