Workers of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Congress clashed over installation of survey stones for the SilverLine semi-high-speed rail project at Nadal in Kannur on Monday.
Congress workers tried to stop officials when the survey process proceeded under police protection. The police soon removed them. However, the situation turned violent with the intervention of CPI(M) workers, who reached the spot.
This led to an altercation between workers of both the parties. The police had to intervene to control the situation. CPI(M) leaders had a heated argument with police officers over the arrest of two party workers who allegedly assaulted Congress workers.
District Congress Committee president Martin George said the incident showed the extent to which the CPI(M) would go to sabotage the rightful protest against the SilverLine project. The CPI(M) was deploying goons to resist public protest.
He said they were threatening landowners to speak in favour of installing survey stones. The Congress would not allow this and they would bring together people to confront this.