As terror-accused cleric-politician Abdul Nasser Madani prepares to visit Kerala following a relaxation in bail provided by the Supreme Court, here's a look at how his previous homecoming five years ago panned out.
In 2018 when Madani was allowed to enter Kerala to visit his ailing mother Asma Beevi, there was heightened security provided by the Kerala Police while a team of Karnataka Police accompanied him by road.
A short prayer
En route to Mynagappally in Kollam, the Kerala Police that was providing escort were taken by surprise when the convoy from Karnataka turned into a service road at Chedayankalai at Kanjikode in Palakkad.
Local PDP leaders and the state police had a dispute over the unscheduled diversion.
It was a Friday and Madani was heading toward a mosque for prayer. But the state police was apparently unaware of this condition that Madani said had been approved by Bengaluru City Police Commissioner.
After a brief argument between high-ranking police officers and PDP leaders, Madani was allowed to pray at the Sunni Juma Masjid at Chedayankalai for 15 minutes before the journey resumed.
Accident at Kayamkulam
The journey to Kollam met with another obstacle on reaching Kayamkulam in the Alappuzha district.
The motorcade met with an accident on a bridge near the KSRTC bus stand at Kayamkulam in the evening. A bike rider sustained serious injuries causing further problems for the police.
The accident caused a roadblock on the national highway.
Travel expense
One of the conditions of the bail granted by the NIA Court back then was that Madani should bear the travel cost of the Karnataka Police team accompanying him.
The expenses incurred by Madani for accommodating a six-member police team from Karnataka in 2018 was Rs 1,15,950 for six days.
That condition has been retained by the apex court. As the wheelchair-bound Madani is reaching Kerala for Ayurveda treatment for a month, the expenses are likely to be much higher than it was in 2018.
