A fatal bomb blast took place on the terrace of a house under construction during the wee hours of April 5. The blast occurred while bomb-making was in process. CPM worker Sharil (31) died. Both hands of Vineesh (37) were totally fragmented and mutilated in the blast. Vinodan (38) and Ashwanth alias Eldo (25) are badly injured and hospitalised. The blast has brought a shock to the people of Kerala in general and Kannur in particular. Since number of political clashes and killings has down Kannur district, during the last few years, people have been a bit relieved. Now, it looks like conspiracies are taking place to revive the regime of violence. BJP, Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League alleged that the blast is proof of the CPM conspiracy to unleash widespread violence.
But, CPM State Secretary M V Govindan said the usual rhetoric that his party flaunts under similar situations. Govindan said that CPM has nothing to do with the blast. Forensic experts found two severed fingers from the premises of the blast-stricken building. Police have opined that it was a steel bomb blast. The bomb squad found seven bombs, including steel bombs and plastic bombs, and diffused them. They were traced after interrogating the arrested ones.
Despite Govindan’s distancing from the bomb-making, the arrested ones are CPM men. Arun, Athul, Shibinlal and Sayuj were arrested at Palakkad while trying to escape to Tamil Nadu. Preliminary information suggests that about ten men were present during the blast. Reports suggest that eight men who were directly involved in the bomb-making have been identified; all are CPM men and have been accused in several cases. Vinish, the seriously injured man, is the son of the local CPM leader Valiya Parambathu Nanu. Manoharan, the owner of the house under construction, has complained to the police about the bomb-making in his building sans his knowledge or permission. According to the Police, Vinish was the leader of the bomb-making team. Vinod, Akshay, Aswanth and Shijal are injured too. Other injured men have been taken to the CPM-controlled hospitals in Kozhikode and Wayanad.
Despite the tall claim of CPM State Secretary Govindan that his party had nothing to do with the blasts, local party bosses visited the house of Sharil to pay the last tributes to the dead ‘comrade’. CPM Panoor Area Committee member Sudheerkumar and Poyiloor Local Committee member A Asokan were those visitors. CPM leader K P Mohanan MLA was a visitor, too. Govindan justified it by saying that Mohanan is an elected representative; hence, he was discharging his incumbent duty.
It is alleged that the blast is the result of ignoring the Intelligence report regarding the possible bomb-making. Intelligence report showed the names of the people who were involved in the blast. The reports were issued four months before and a few weeks before.
