Thiruvananthapuram: The Museum Police have registered two cases in connection with the clash between BJP and LDF councillors at the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation on Thursday, with Mayor V V Rajesh and Deputy Mayor Asha Nath among those named as accused.

One case was registered based on the complaint of LDF councillors, in which the Mayor and other BJP councillors have been booked. The second case was filed on the complaint of BJP councillors, naming five LDF councillors as accused.

The confrontation erupted after LDF councillors gathered outside the Mayor's office demanding the removal of BJP councillor Sugathan, who has been booked under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA). The protest followed the Home Secretary's approval of the KAAPA proceedings against Sugathan.

According to the First Information Report (FIR) filed on the complaint of the LDF councillors, ten BJP councillors - Mayor V V Rajesh, Girikumar, Deputy Mayor Asha Nath, Jaya Rajeev, Madhu, Gopan, Sumi Balu, R C Beena, Manju and Sruthy - have been named as accused. The FIR states that the accused unlawfully assembled in the corridor outside the Mayor's office at around 12 noon, with the intention of disrupting the LDF councillors' protest. They allegedly pushed and assaulted the protesters.

The complaint further alleges that Mayor Rajesh verbally abused CPM councillor Sindhu Sasi using derogatory language before grabbing and pushing her backwards, causing her head to hit a chair. She then fell to the ground and sustained a head injury that required two stitches. Several other councillors also suffered injuries during the incident, the FIR added.

The Mayor and the BJP councillors have been booked under Sections 189(2) (unlawful assembly), 191(2) (rioting), 190 (constructive liability), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 296(b) (uttering obscene words in or near a public place causing annoyance), and 126(2) (wrongful restraint) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

In the counter-complaint filed by BJP councillors, five LDF councillors - Deepak Dev, Rakhi Ravikumar, Chellamangalam Arun, Venugopal and Renjith - have been named as accused. According to the FIR, the accused, acting as members of an unlawful assembly, wrongfully restrained Mayor Rajesh while he was proceeding to his office along with other BJP councillors.

The complaint alleges that Deepak Dev kicked and pushed the Mayor, causing BJP councillor Sruthi S S to fall to the floor. It further states that the other accused threatened to kill Sruthi and assaulted the complainants. The Mayor and the BJP councillors accompanying him also sustained injuries during the incident, the FIR added.

The LDF councillors have been booked under Sections 189(2) (unlawful assembly), 191(2) (rioting), 190 (constructive liability), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 351(2) (criminal intimidation/general threats), and 126(2) (wrongful restraint) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The clash comes just a day after BJP councillors were made to retake their oath of office following a Kerala High Court order declaring their earlier oath invalid. The court held that the oath taken by the councillors did not comply with Section 143 of the Kerala Municipality Act, which requires elected members to take the oath either in the name of God or by making a solemn affirmation, without any additions or modifications.

The BJP councillors, elected in the 2025 local body elections, had originally taken the oath in the name of Mother India, the organisation's martyrs and Gurudeva. Although the High Court had granted four weeks for the fresh oath-taking, 19 BJP councillors retook the oath on Wednesday evening at the Corporation headquarters. Sugathan, however, could not participate as he remains in judicial custody.