Kochi: The two major constituents of the Left Democratic Front government have likely avoided further friction by punishing a police officer over the recent baton charge on CPI leaders, including MLA Eldho Abraham. The incident and the subsequent reaction of the CPI state leader Kanam Rajendran had also created unease in the party ranks.
Sub-inspector (SI) Vibin Das of the Ernakulam Central Police Station has been suspended over the police assault on the left leaders during a protest match to the DIG's office in July.
City Police Additional Commissioners K P Philip ordered for the suspension of the SI after a special branch report blamed the cop for baton-charging the leaders without getting clear-cut instructions from the city assistant commissioner, who was present at the spot.
The SI also failed to recognise the Muvattupuzha MLA, the report alleged.
A department-level inquiry too would be held into the incident, Philip said.
Earlier Kanam had angered party activists by refusing to decry the baton charge on agitating party members. Kanam had also reportedly commented that the cops did not barge into their homes but they went up to them and asked for police action. Three members of the All-India Youth Federation,the youth wing of the CPI, were even arrested in Alappuzha on charges of putting up posters against Kanam's stand.
Kanam was called Pinarayi's stooge inside the party and trolls appeared on social media depicting his subservience to the CPM.
Mooreover, the delay on the part of the CPM-led government to take action against the cops had displeased many in the CPI's top rung. Subsequently, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan assured CPI state secretary and its ministers that he would take action on the basis of the collector's report.
The trigger
The CPI had held the protest march, alleging that the police had taken a biased stand over the SFI-AISF scuffle at the Government College at Vypin in Ernakulam on July 23. Fifteen CPI leaders, including district secretary P Raju and the MLA, were injured during the lathicharge. Three police officers, including city ACP K Lalji and SI Vibin Das, were also injured.
However, DGP Loknath Behera had submitted a report to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, claiming that there was no failure on the part of the police. Though the top cop had said that there was no need for action against the police officers, the SI was suspended though after the CPI piled pressure.
Meanwhile, the MLA, who had fractured his arm in the police assault, said that he welcomed the action on the erring cop.
"This makes it clear that the DGP's report, giving a clean chit to the cops, is false. The government has taken action based on the honest report submitted by the collector," he said.
While pointing out that the July protest march was held against the Njarackal CI, the MLA sought action against him too. “The CPI would pursue the matter strongly,” he added.
