Political tensions recently flared in Nedumangad, Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala, leading to a shocking act of vandalism: an ambulance was set ablaze, and another severely damaged. Authorities suspect these incidents are a direct consequence of ongoing clashes between members of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)).
According to local police, the unrest began when alleged SDPI activists attacked a CPI(M) leader on Sunday evening. This initial incident quickly spiraled into a series of retaliatory actions.
Later that same night, masked individuals reportedly targeted the homes of SDPI workers. They were also seen damaging an ambulance and a car belonging to an SDPI activist.
The escalation culminated early Monday morning with the arson of an ambulance operated by the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the CPI(M)), which was parked near a government hospital.
Police have launched a thorough investigation to determine if these attacks are indeed connected to the initial confrontation and to bring those responsible to justice. Patrolling has been significantly increased in the area to prevent any further outbreaks of violence and restore calm.