Five cops suspended for assault of Youth Congress workers during Pinarayi govt's Nava Kerala Yatra
Five police officers, including the former Chief Minister's gunman, have been suspended following an inquiry into an assault on Youth Congress workers three years prior.
Five police officers, including the former Chief Minister's gunman, have been suspended following an inquiry into an assault on Youth Congress workers three years prior.
Five police officers, including the former Chief Minister's gunman, have been suspended following an inquiry into an assault on Youth Congress workers three years prior.
Three years after two Youth Congress workers were assaulted for staging protest during the 'Nava Kerala yatra' undertaken by the previous LDF government, five cops, including the gunman of former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, were placed under suspension on Tuesday. Gunman Anil Kumar, security personnel on escort duty - Sandeep, Vipin, Shyju and Arun were suspended pending departmental inquiry.
The disciplinary action was taken based on the findings of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to probe the assault. The SIT submitted the probe report to the state police chief on Monday. The assault happened on December 15, 2023, when the bus carrying Pinarayi Vijayan and other ministers reached the traffic junction near the General Hospital, Alappuzha.
While the cops on duty tried to restrain the Youth Congress workers from approaching the bus, visuals showed former CM's gunman and other cops stepping out of the car and lunging towards the workers, hitting them with lathis. The act sparked outrage, however, Pinarayi Vijayan dismissed it as an 'act of rescue'.
Youth Congress leader Ajay Jewel Kuriakose, who was assaulted by the cops, filed a private complaint before the Alappuzha Judicial First Class Magistrate court and a crime was registered at the Alappuzha police station. However, the DySP, District Crime Branch submitted a refer report stating that the cops on escort duty were public officers providing Z-category security and they only discharged their official duties and were protected under the relevant provision of the Kerala police act. It was also mentioned in the probe report that there were no other sufficient materials to establish that the cops exceeded their duties.
When the UDF government came to power, Chief Minister V D Satheesan directed the constitution of an SIT. During the SIT probe, it was reported that the original case diary was tampered with, however none of the senior officials have responded to the allegation so far. The SIT collected statements of the Youth Congress workers, AD Thomas MLA and verified the statements using visual evidence and added three more cops as the accused in the case.
The cops were placed under suspension even as their pre-arrest bail plea is being considered by the Alappuzha Sessions court.