Kochi/Chengannur: Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Thursday announced an ex gratia amount of Rs 5 lakh to the family of Sreejith, a youth from Varappuzha who died due to alleged custodial torture.
Biplab, who is in Kerala as part of NDA's campaign ahead of the Chenngannur bypoll on May 28, made the announcement while visiting Sreejtih's house in Varappuzha, Kochi, Thursday. The Tripura government's cheque will be send to the BJP unit in Kerala, which will hand it over to Sreejith's family.
Tripura CM exhorted Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan to understand people's problems."Else, the CPM will have to face the predicament that they had to suffer in Tripura.”
Meanwhile, BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan said that Biplab's visit to Chengannur will be a turning point in the history of Kerala politics.
"Biplab Kumar is a 'historic hero' who ended the CPM's tyrannic rule in Tripura. His visit to Chengannur will turn tides in Kerala. It will lead to a social reformation," Kummanam said.
Biplab will be attending BJP's campaign rallies in the constituency later in the day.
Asked about the controversial statements made by the Tripura CM, Kummanam said his comments were misconstrued by media.
Biplab, who is on his first visit to Kerala for a party programme, landed in Kochi Thursday morning.
Kerala cop on Biplab's security duty suffers snake bite
A personnel of the Kerala police, detailed to the security of the Tripura chief minister, was rushed to a hospital in Kochi with a snake-bite injury on Thursday.
Read more: Latest on Chengannur bypoll