‘Saw no weapons, heard no one say kill her’: Veena George’s gunman makes U-turn in KSU protest case

Kannur: In the run-up to the election, a black-flag protest against the then Health Minister Veena George at Kannur railway station was turned into an attempted-murder case based on a complaint by her gunman. Five KSU protesters spent 16 days in prison.

Eight months later and following a change of government, the gunman has reportedly retracted his claim of a weapon attack before a Special Investigation Team (SIT), saying he saw no weapons and heard nobody shout “Kill her”.

Abhilash M S (38), a civil police officer deputed as the minister’s gunman, had named both Veena George and himself as victims of the alleged attack on February 25.

In his original statement, he alleged that the five KSU activists waved black flags, raised slogans against the minister, shouted “Kill her” and lunged at her with some kind of weapon, attacking her neck.

Based on his statement, the Kannur Railway Police invoked 11 provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Railways Act, including those relating to attempted murder, rioting with a deadly weapon, causing hurt with dangerous weapons, wrongful restraint and trespass.

SIT chief U Preman, Commandant of the Kerala Armed Police IV Battalion, told Onmanorama that Abhilash had "completely changed" his earlier account. “He told the SIT that he did not see any weapons,” Preman said. “He also said he did not hear anyone saying, ‘Kill her.’”

Asked about the extent of the change, Preman said the original statement was "manipulated". Abhilash, however, did not say who had prompted him to make the initial allegations, SIT sources said. "He won't implicate anyone," said a source.

The SIT recorded Abhilash’s statement around 10 days ago. It has also recorded fresh statements from police officers who were present at the station and independent witnesses. More than 15 people have been questioned so far, Preman said, adding that the investigation was nearing completion.

The weapon-attack case was on a weak wicket from day one. Police officers on duty at the railway station had said they saw no weapons, while the CCTV footage and medical records also failed to substantiate key elements of the original complaint.

Sub-Inspectors Prakash and Anuroop and Civil Police Officer Akhil told investigators that the KSU activists waved black flags, raised slogans and tried to move towards the minister. Security personnel intervened and cordoned off the minister. The officers did not report seeing any weapons.

The Kannur Sessions Court, while granting bail to the five activists on March 12, noted that no weapon had been recovered from the protesters who were arrested from the station itself. The arrest records also did not show the accused carrying weapons. CCTV footage did not show the protesters carrying or using a weapon or even coming into contact with the minister. The wound certificate did not record a weapon injury, while a doctor indicated that the minister’s neck pain could have resulted from a sudden jerk.

The five activists, Athul M C, Akshay V V, Bithul Balan, Ahmed Yasin and Mubas C H, spent 16 days in Kannur sub-jail before securing bail.

The case became a political issue during the Assembly election campaign. The CPM repeatedly projected the incident as an attempt to murder Veena George. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, party state secretary M V Govindan and Assembly Speaker A N Shamseer were among those who amplified the allegation. The party portrayed the incident as an attack on a woman minister and called for statewide protests.

Veena George gave her statement to the Railway Police only after the election, around April 16. According to media reports, she attributed her neck injury to the pushing and shoving during the protest rather than to a weapon attack.

After the Congress-led UDF won the Assembly election, the new government constituted the SIT on August 31 following a petition by Kannur MLA T O Mohanan seeking a detailed probe. State Police Chief Ravada A Chandrasekhar ordered the further investigation under Preman, assisted by Kannur City Assistant Commissioner of Police A P Azad. SIT chief Preman said his investigation is in the final stage.