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Kerala
Shivapuram tense as police open fire
By Our Staff Reporter
KANNUR, DEC. 5. Tension broke out in the Shivapuram and Padupara areas under the Malur police station limits as two groups of people, allegedly BJP-RSS and National Development Front (NDF) workers, clashed leaving seven houses damaged in stone-throwing and bomb-blast over the last 12 hours. Police opened fire in the air when it came under attack this morning.
The entire Shivapuram area was now being raided by the police in search of trouble-makers and weapons to avert any escalation on the eve of the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition. The SP, Mr. Manoj Abraham, visited the spot to oversee the law and order arrangements in the areas. Extensive raids were under way and several persons were taken into preventive custody by the Malur police.
The Thalassery Dy.SP, Mr. N. Chandran, opened three rounds in the air using his service revolver when the police party led by him was greeted with bomb blasts by suspected BJP workers at Padupara at around 6-30 a.m. The situation had been under control since then, the police said.
According to the police, the trouble started when a madrassa teacher, Mr. P. Mayan, was attacked by alleged BJP workers last night. The attack was preceded by dispute between the two rival groups over posters on the electric poles. After the attack, the rival workers indulged in nocturnal explosions of country bombs and stone-throwing till this morning. Seven houses were damaged in the attacks. A mini lorry of an IUML worker was also damaged by culprits.
Meanwhile, the District Collector and District Magistrate, Dr. V. Venu, clamped prohibitory orders in the district under Sections 21 and 23 of the Kerala Police Act for three days from today in view of the hartal called by the PDP and other organisations to mark the Babri mosque demolition.
The order that came into effect from 3 p.m. would be in force till 6 p.m. on December 7. The PDP district president, Mr. Ramadas Kathirur, said in a statement that the hartal would be peaceful. Vehicles carrying Sabarimala pilgrims would be exempted from the hartal, he said.
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