‘Not Shafi show’: Police caught on camera assaulting Congress MP in Kozhikode
The visuals clearly show a police officer striking the MP on the head with a baton.
The visuals clearly show a police officer striking the MP on the head with a baton.
The visuals clearly show a police officer striking the MP on the head with a baton.
Kozhikode: Hours after the violent clash between police and UDF-LDF workers in Kozhikode's Perambra, video footage aired by news channels has contradicted the police and CPM’s claims that Congress MP Shafi Parambil was not hurt during the protest.
The visuals clearly show a police officer striking the MP on the head with a baton. Shafi sustained serious injuries to his nose, suffering two fractures on his nasal bone. He was seen wiping his bleeding nose as party workers rushed him to a hospital.
It is alleged that the cop deliberately attacked the Congress MP as directed by the CPM and moved to a hideout.
Kozhikode DCC president Praveen Kumar told Manorama News that police attacked him when he tried to pacify UDF protesters. He said that Shafi had reached the spot to urge UDF workers to end the protest, anticipating a possible clash with LDF activists during the rally. Kumar alleged that it was the police action that escalated the situation into violence.
He declared that UDF workers will stage a mass protest at Perambra today at 3 pm. He added that the front has called off the sit-in protest in front of polcie stations in the district.
Violence broke out in Perambra when UDF and LDF rallies came face to face, leading to clashes between workers of both fronts. Police then resorted to lathi charge to bring the situation under control, during which the Congress MP was injured.
However, both the CPM and police officials, including Kozhikode Rural SP, had earlier dismissed the allegations of police brutality, claiming that the MP’s injuries were a “mere show”.
The emergence of the new visuals has now raised serious questions about the police’s handling of the protest and the credibility of their earlier statements.
The confrontation followed a hartal called by the Congress to protest Thursday’s police action against its leaders and Kerala Students’ Union (KSU) activists after violence erupted over the college union election at CKGM Government College, Perambra.