Clash: BJP man loses fingers

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Political tension which has been prevailing in Peyad, near Malayankeezh here, peaked on Wednesday night when the fingers of the right hand of a BJP worker were chopped off in a clash between CPM and BJP workers. In protest, BJP observed a 12-hour hartal on Thursday at Peyad.  Vinod, 30, of Peyad, who lost three fingers in the clash, later underwent a surgery at the Medical College Hospital here. Seven political workers, five belonging to the CPM and two to the BJP, were arrested in connection with the incident. They included Shibu Wilson, 24, Vishnu 21, Magno 19, Sajeev 21, and Rejesh, 31, of the CPM and Pradeep, 26, and Sandeep, 29, of the BJP.    Tension had erupted in the area a couple of days back when the flagpost of the CPM at Plavarakkonam was removed, allegedly by BJP workers. According to the police, a protest march was taken out by the CPM over the incident on Wednesday night and when it reached Peyad Junction, the flagpost of the BJP was allegedly removed by DYFI workers. The BJP also then took out a march at Peyad, which turned violent when it met the CPM workers. “As it was an unexpected clash, there weren’t many policemen present. Both the groups hurled stones at each other. Some of the activists of both parties also had weapons with them. In the clash, when somebody used some weapon, Vinod’s fingers were chopped off,” said Aryanad Circle Inspector N Nasarudheen.  Earlier, though the police had decided to convene a meeting of the leaders of both parties on Thursday morning, it did not materialise owing to the clash. The police said that the situation was under control from Thursday morning and that the hartal was peaceful.