CPI-M denies role in crude bomb blast

The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) on Sunday denied it had any role in the crude bomb explosion that killed two party activists and seriously injured two others on Saturday.

The party has also denied it was behind the manufacture of crude bombs.

K. Shyju, 39, and Sudheesh, 28, were killed in the explosion at Chettakkandy near Kannur on Saturday. It was believed that the explosion took place while "making bombs".

"This has occurred in a place where there is a security cordon by police. The CPI-M has no role in this and it's the failure of the police force as this is an area that has seen frequent skirmishes between the CPI-M and the RSS," CPI-M's Kerala unit secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told reporters in Delhi on Sunday.

Balakrishnan is in the national capital to take part in a party meet.

However, Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala told IANS that Balakrishnan is simply bluffing.

"What does he mean? Do you know the two who died were hardcore CPI-M workers and the condition of the other two is also serious. What he has said is a bluff and what the people of Kerala wish to know is who were the targets of the bombs that were made," said Chennithala.

"Police have recovered bombs from the homes of one of the deceased. Police have formed two separate bomb detection teams and searches have already begun," he said.