KOZHIKODE: One person was injured when a rechargeable electric torch fitted with a detonator went off in front of the K.V.Narayanan Memorial Library, near Kottamukku in Arur in Nadapuram, in rural Kozhikode on Sunday morning. Explosive technology  using deteonators with rechargeable torch is used in Kerala for the first time, even though such incidents reported from Tamil Nadu earlier.

The police identified the injured victim as Balakrishnan (40) of Thondiyil, who used to be the earliest and regular visitor of the library . The police said four fingers on the left palm of Mr. Balakrishnan were injured in the explosion when he tried to switch on the yellow colored torch. He was admitted to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. A case has been registered under the Explosives Substance Act. Bomb squad and explosive experts from Kozhikode rushed to the spot.

K.V.Narayanan Memorial Library is one of the cutural get together point of leftists of Arror village in  Purameri Panchayath. The victim, T. Narayanan is also a CPI(M) worker. Earlier, the area witnessed RSS – CPI(M) clashes.

Deputy Inspector General (North Zone), V.Santharam, who visited the spot said preliminary investigations showed that Mr. Balakrishnan may have connected together two pieces of the torch thereby triggering the explosion. The DIG said the police have been conducting raids in the sensitive Nadapuram area for the last few days.

Based on reports from

Hindu & Madhyamam Dailies, 22/Jan/2006
 
http://www.hindu.com/2006/01/23/stories/2006012319490400.htm