RSS activist killed, shutdown in Kerala town

KANNUR (Kerala): A daylong shutdown was called by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in a town in Kerala's northern Kannur district on Saturday after the killing of an RSS activist.

RSS activist CK Anoop was killed in a bomb explosion at Eranjoli near Thalassery, about 25 km from here, late on Friday night. Another activist, identified as Rijesh, was admitted to hospital with serious injuries.

The RSS has alleged that Anoop was killed in a bomb attack carried out by workers of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).

The CPI-M has, however, refuted the charge saying that the RSS activist was killed while handling a country-made bomb himself.

Police officials in Kannur said they are yet to confirm whether the death was caused in a bomb attack or in an explosion caused while handling a bomb.

Kannur district has been a hotbed of political violence between the CPI-M and the BJP-RSS combine. A bout of such violence in March, triggered by an attack on an RSS leader, claimed at least seven lives.