Kozhikode, June 06: The Kerala unit of the BJP today sought a CBI probe into the Marad violence that claimed nine lives on may two, and boycotted an all-party meeting convened by the state cabinet sub-committee to explore ways to ensure lasting peace in the area. "There is no meaning in participating in the meeting without the government agreeing for a CBI probe into the issue," party sources said here.

Though the Antony government had ordered a crime branch probe and followed it with a judicial investigation into the incident, the BJP has been reiterating its demand for a probe by the central investigating agency "to trace the root cause of the violence and identify the real culprits responsible for the incident."
BJP also boycotted yesterday's meeting convened by the sub-committee to hold separate talks with leaders of various political parties.

The cabinet sub-committee, with state PWD minister Dr M K Muneer as its convenor and cooperation minister M V Raghavan and health minister P Sankaran as its members, was formed recently to initiate speedy steps to restore lasting peace in the area.

Bureau Report