Party workers of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Bharatiya Janata Party clashed at Kattayikonam under the Pothencode police station limits here late on Monday, with several activists, including former BJP State president V. Muraleedharan, and a few policemen sustaining injuries.
The BJP has called for a hartal in the district on Tuesday. Party leaders said that vehicles would not be blocked and schools or examinations would not be affected.
The Pothencode police said a torch rally was led by Mr. Muraleedharan in Kattayikonam around 7.30 p.m. A few men, allegedly owing allegiance to the CPI (M), picked up an argument with the participants of the rally.
The arguments snowballed into clashes with more workers from both sides reaching the spot. Policemen who tried to pacify the activists were injured, with one policeman reportedly suffering serious head injuries.
More than 30 party workers from both sides were reportedly injured, with most of them reporting head injuries.
Around 20 persons, including Mr. Muraleedharan, 57, were shifted to the Government Medical College Hospital by 9.30 p.m. Some of them were identified as Shyam, 20, of Powdikonam; Sivaprasad, 28, Njandoorkonam; Prasanth, 32, Powdikonam; Satheeshan, 45, Mangattukonam; Amal Krishna, 28, Sreekaryam; Arjun Gopal, 28, Sreekaryam; Reji, 38, Vattavila; Anish, 21, Mangattukonam; Ratheesh, 36, Kattayikonam; Sreejith, 20, Powdikonam; Anil Kumar, 45, Kazhakuttam; Arun, 21, Powdikonam; Vinayan, 36, Venchavode; Shibu, 29, a policeman from the SAP camp; and Vikraman, 46.