Youth Congress leader dies of stab wounds in Kerala

: A Youth Congress leader died on Tuesday after he was attacked by unidentified men in north Kerala’s Kannur district a day earlier.

M Shuhaib, 29, Youth Congress Mattanur block secretary, was having food on Monday when he was attacked with sharpedged weapons after the assailants hurled a country-made bomb, police said.

Shuhaib suffered critical stab wounds and succumbed to injuries early on Tuesday. Two other party workers were also injured in the attack.

After the attack, the assailants escaped in a van. They are yet to be arrested.

Police said the attack was a follow-up to a clash between the student wings of Congress and CPI(M) two weeks back.

The Congress alleged that CPI(M) workers were behind the attack and has called a dawn-todusk shutdown in Kannur district to protest the killing.

“The attack exposes the fascist face of the CPI(M). It seems the party can’t survive without violence,” said district Congress (DCC) chief Satheesan Pacheni.

Kannur is notorious for RedSaffron clashes, with more than 200 from both sides being killed i in the last three decades. “This is the 21st political murder in the state since the CPI(M)-led government came to power about two years ago. It is shocking that it happened again in Kannur, the native place of CM Pinarayi Vijayan,” said Congress leader Ramesh Cehnnithala, adding that the CPI(M) was annihilating political opponents steadily. Congress Working Committee member and former defence minister AK Antony said Shuhaib’s killing was the latest episode of “red terror” unleashed by the CPI(M).

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM