Sabarimala protests: Bomb attacks reported against CPI-M leaders' houses in Thiruvananthapuram

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The violence that started with the BJP-backed Sabarimala Karma Samithi hartal on Thursday is yet to subside in the district. Though the areas falling under the city police limits rolled back to normalcy, sporadic incidents of violence have been reported from the rural parts. Prohibitory orders have been declared in Nedumangadu and Valiyamala police station limits for three days as the police are yet to bring the situation back to control.

The attacks on CPM offices and residences of local leaders continued unabated despite heavy police presence in the area. Houses of a few BJP workers were attacked by suspected CPM workers in retaliation.

Nedumangadu Municipality Standing Committee chairman and CPM leader P Harikeshan Nair's residence came under bomb attack early morning. Nedumangadu police have so far registered cases against 100 people for attacks on Thursday and Friday.

In Neyyattinkara, where tension has been simmering for the last three days, violence once again erupted in the form of petrol bomb attack on the CPM Neyyattinkara area committee office in the wee hours of Friday.

From Malayinkeezhu, where the BJP-CPM clashes were reported on a massive scale the other day, three bombs were recovered. The bombs, which were ready for use, were recovered from the premises of Saraswathi Vidyanikethan School. Residence of People's Democratic Party (PDP) district secretary Pachira Salahudeen at Pallippuram near Kaniyapuram was attacked by unidentified people in the wee hours of Friday.

Two bombs were hurled at his residence, partially destroying the car that was parked in front of the house.

Rural police chief P Asok Kumar said investigation is on to arrest all accused involved in the crimes.

"Tension is still there in certain areas and hence we have accompanied implementation of prohibitory orders," he said.