Arrest of KAAPA accused BJP councillor turns violent in TVM
Police fired a shot during an arrest attempt of a KAAPA accused, a BJP councillor. The councillor and four others allegedly attacked officers, leading to the councillor's arrest and remand.
Police fired a shot during an arrest attempt of a KAAPA accused, a BJP councillor. The councillor and four others allegedly attacked officers, leading to the councillor's arrest and remand.
Police fired a shot during an arrest attempt of a KAAPA accused, a BJP councillor. The councillor and four others allegedly attacked officers, leading to the councillor's arrest and remand.
An attempt by the Vattiyoorkavu police to take a KAAPA accused into custody turned into a scuffle on Tuesday night, forcing officers to fire a shot to bring the situation under control. The police had arrived to arrest Sugathan, a BJP councillor in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, who had been absconding after being booked under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA). He has since been arrested and remanded to judicial custody.
According to the FIR, the police reached the location to arrest Sugathan after the Kerala High Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea. When officers attempted to take him into custody, Sugathan and four others allegedly attacked the police personnel.
Following the incident, the police registered a case against Sugathan (42), Sandeep and three other identifiable persons.
Apart from the alleged assault, the FIR states that the accused obstructed police officers from discharging their official duties.
Speaking to Onmanorama, the Vattiyoorkavu Circle Inspector said the police had arrived with an arrest warrant to take Sugathan into custody. "The situation escalated quickly when the accused attacked the police. We were left with no option but to fire a shot to bring the situation under control," the officer said. "The Thiruvananthapuram District Collector had also issued an order directing the police to arrest him," the officer added.
Meanwhile, Sugathan's wife alleged that the police acted rashly and assaulted her while taking her husband into custody.
"They broke into the house and entered without a woman police officer present. Naturally, we asked them why they were there. They then pushed me aside. Provoked by our questions, they pointed the gun at my 14-year-old son before firing it outside," she alleged.
She further claimed that the officers pulled the chain from around her neck, breaking it, and slapped her across the face. "They kicked me to the ground, and I fell on my back," she added.
The accused have been booked under Sections 121(1) (causing hurt to a public servant), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging duty) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, as well as Section 117(e) of the Kerala Police Act, which deals with threatening, obstructing or assaulting a police officer with the intention of preventing the officer from carrying out official duties.