‘If delayed by five minutes, a major disaster could have occurred; carrying out attacks under cover of darkness is mafia-style’

KANNUR: Protests are intensifying against the attack on the house of T Purushothaman for supporting UDF independent candidate V Kunhikrishnan in Payyannur. His car was set on fire and destroyed, and the window panes of his house were smashed in the incident that happened last night. Purushothaman said the attackers trespassed into the house and pelted stones.

‘I heard a noise and when came out saw two to three people running away. If there had been a delay of five minutes, the car might have exploded, leading to a major disaster. They came with the intention of endangering lives,’ he said.

He clarified that although he is presently a CPM member, his stand is against the political mafia-style functioning in Payyannur. He alleged that the hostility against him arose because he attended the book launch event of V Kunhikrishnan. He added that intimidating and destroying to subdue people is a fascist method now prevailing in Payyannur.

Meantime, Kunhikrishnan, who visited Purushothaman’s house after the attack, reacted strongly. He said that such incidents validate his allegation that political mafia activities are increasing in Payyannur.

‘Since the election was announced, CPM has been unleashing widespread violence to intimidate people after realizing that public sentiment is against T I Madhusoodanan. Attacking houses under the cover of darkness is a mafia-style method,’ alleged Kunhikrishnan.

He also accused the police of being inactive under the cover of the government and said that a fair investigation is not taking place. Tensions are prevailing in various parts of Payyannur after the elections.