Express News Service By

KOZHIKODE: Polling to local bodies in Wayanad, Kannur, Kasargode and Kozhikode in Northern Kerala was by and large peaceful except for a few violent incidents in Kannur, where large pose of police personnel was deployed to prevent any untoward incident on Monday.

Law and order situation, which remained tense in Kannur right from the morning, became worse after the polls when CPM and Muslim League workers clashed and hurled country-made bombs at Ezham Mile near Taliparamba. Nearly 20 persons including women were injured. Six CPM activist were admitted to a private hospital and Taliparamba Co-operative hospital. Many vehicles were damaged and set on fire. In Vykara panchayat, a UDF booth agent identified as U Pavithran suffered serious head injuries when he was attacked by CPM workers. A BJP activist K P Mohan also suffered serious head injuries in an attack by CPM workers and was admitted to Pariyaram Medical College.

Earlier, UDF candidate P V Reshma, contesting in Kanhiranghad ward in Pariyaram Grama Panchayat and her booth agent, were attacked by CPM cadres outside the polling booth.

She was admitted to a private hospital in Taliparmba. The UDF had demanded a re-polling at the booth.

Reports say that the CPM cadres also attacked IUML booth agents identified as C K Nusaif and Abdulla. The LDF had also complained about attacks unleashed by the UDF against their candidates. An LDF candidate Jija was admitted to Taliparamba Co-operative hospital after she was allegedly assualted by UDF workers.

In another incident, Kelakam police arrested a CPM activist Babu for damaging the election ID card of a tribal woman,Chembi, wife of Vasu, a resident of Kallamkode paniya colony near Ambayathode.

Police said three-member gang of CPM workers damaged her ID card while she was on her way to the polling booth at St George UP School at Ambayathode. In Cherukunnu grampanchayat in Mundaparam ward, UDF woman candidate Agnus Thekkan was attacked by CPM cadres using Naikurana powder. In another incident, CPM cadres poured mud water on Vasantha, who is contesting from the 4thward in Thalassery. The incident took place at the Marankandi Lakshmi Vilasam UP School at Chockli.

There were also attempts by the CPM workers to disrupt the webcast by detaching the cables at Thalora of ward 5 and 6 in Pariyaram Grampanchayat.