BJP’s police station march in TVM: Former DGP Sreelekha named accused

Following mounting criticism, the Vattiyoorkavu police have added former DGP and BJP leader R Sreelekha as the fifth accused in the case related to the BJP’s police station march and subsequent clashes on April 21. Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Deputy Mayor Asha Nath has been named as the sixth accused.

The FIR had initially been registered against BJP workers Sumi Balu, Padma, Anjana and Manju, along with around 50 other women participants. The protest march, led by the BJP Mahila Morcha and attended by women councillors of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, was conducted under Sreelekha’s leadership. Sreelekha was also the BJP’s Vattiyoorkavu Assembly candidate. However, her name was not initially included among the accused, which triggered criticism.

The accused have been charged under Sections 189(1) and 189(2) (unlawful assembly), 191(2) (rioting), and 285 (obstruction in public ways) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 117(e) of the Kerala Police Act for allegedly obstructing and assaulting police personnel on duty.

The protest was organised alleging that police had forcibly entered a building within the Balasubramania Temple premises at Idappazhinji, under Vattiyoorkavu limits, and broke open its door to arrest BJP-RSS workers attending religious classes. The march also demanded the removal of Vattiyoorkavu CI Vipin C A, accusing him of targeting BJP-RSS workers.

According to the FIR, around 50 identifiable women gathered unlawfully at Mannarakonam Junction at around 5 pm on April 21 and marched to the Vattiyoorkavu police station, raising slogans. The group allegedly blocked the station gate, causing traffic disruption and inconvenience to the public. Police further alleged that the protesters obstructed on-duty personnel, including women officers, and pulled their uniforms, thereby hindering official duties.

The incident gained political traction after Sreelekha was seen using strong language against the police during the protest. “Poda pulle policee. Khakhi ittoru goondakale. Pinarayi-yude themmadikale. Njangalil onnine thottittu, theruvil irangy nadakkilla (“Go to hell, you goondas in khaki. Pinarayi's scoundrels, don’t ever think you can walk on the streets after touching one of us”),” Sreelekha, with fists raised, was heard repeating after the main slogan-shouter in front of the police station.

In response to the backlash, she defended her remarks in a Facebook post, stating that she had previously taken strict action against erring officers during her service, including suspensions, dismissals and initiating cases in corruption matters. “Even when I was in the police force, I have often looked erring police officers in the face and called them poda, pulle,” she noted.

She questioned the criticism against her now, saying that no political or police association had objected to her actions while she was in service. In another post, she alleged that a police team led by CI Vipin had been selectively targeting BJP workers for over a month, particularly during the election period.

Sreelekha further claimed that several workers were taken into custody and subjected to custodial harassment at the behest of the CPM. Referring to the April 19 incident, she alleged that police forcibly entered the temple premises and assaulted a BJP worker who had filed a complaint against a CPM activist. She claimed the man sustained serious injuries and remains hospitalised.