Hindu - Muslim clashes in Kannur

KANNUR: The Thayyil and Maidanappally areas here remained tense following incidents of violence involving two groups of people late on Saturday night.
An all-party peace meeting held at the Collectorate here on Sunday afternoon resolved to take stringent action against trouble-makers. Though tension prevailed in the coastal areas, no incidents occurred on Sunday as a large number of police personnel were deployed in the troubled areas. Senior police officers, including Superintendent of Police K.P. Philip, visited the areas.
The trouble started around 9 p.m. which led to attacks on houses and shops in the Maidanappally and Thayyil areas. The police burst smoke grenades to disperse a mob engaged in violence.
The situation was brought under control by late night. Many people, including police personnel, were injured in the violence. According to the police, the violence broke out over a motorcyclist having been allegedly teased by a group of youth at Maidanappally.
At least five houses and a few shops came under attack last night. Glass panes of the houses were smashed in stone-throwing.
The police said that patrolling was intensified in the areas in view of the tension.
The peace meeting extended full support to the district administration and the police to restore peace in the areas and to nab the culprits behind the incidents. Condemning the incidents, the meeting, chaired by Additional District Magistrate (ADM) P.K. Sudheer Babu, called for monitoring and controlling vehicles and people from outside reaching the areas.
It was decided that the police would question people found in suspicious circumstances.
The meeting urged the police to remove unauthorised roadside benches in the area. Such spots were often found to be the sources of trouble. The police would also question people found roaming in the areas.