Kannur calm after four days of violence

Kannur: Kerala's violence-hit Kannur remained peaceful on Sunday after four days of clashes between workers of the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) left seven people dead.

State Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has talked to top leaders of both the parties to establish peace in the region.

"They have assured me that they will not act in any manner that will affect the peace in the district," Balakrishnan said here.

Referring to the violence in Delhi on Saturday where BJP activists stoned the CPM headquarters in protest against the attack on its workers here, Balakrishnan said it would not affect his talks with the BJP leaders here.

Kannur district has been a hotbed of political violence between the CPM and the BJP-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) combine.

The current bout of violence started when an RSS leader was attacked in Thalassery town on Wednesday.

Three people lost their lives later on Wednesday in retaliation by RSS and BJP and in counter attacks by the CPM.