In late night drama in Kothamangalam, police arrest Congress legislator and DCC president

High drama in Kothamangalam as police arrest MLA and Congress leader during hunger strike, sparking protests and legal battles.

High drama prevailed in Kothamangalam town around Monday midnight when the police swooped down and arrested Mathew Kuzhalnadan, MLA, and the Ernakulam district Congress Committee president Mohammed Shiyas.

Mr. Kuzhalnadan was arrested from the tent put up at the Post Office Junction in Kothamangalam town where he was sitting on an indefinite hunger strike with fellow legislator Eldhose Kunnappillil demanding a permanent solution to the ever-worsening human-wildlife conflict across the State.

Attempt to arrest Mr. Kunnappillil was resisted by the senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala who had earlier inaugurated their hunger strike. The police had taken him into a police vehicle from which Mr. Chennithala got him released, said Congress sources.

The arrest of Mr. Shiyas was more dramatic of which a video has emerged since then. In the video, a police officer in plain clothes, accompanied by a posse of policemen in uniform, could be seen taking Mr. Shiyas away in a wrestling-like lock from behind from near a shop near the protest venue where he had gone for having some refreshments. Obviously, the arrest was unexpected as there were only a handful of party workers with him at the time who were not able to resist the police move.

This was followed by the Congress workers having a minor confrontation with the police. They hurled chairs at the cops and pelted stones at a police vehicle parked in the area. While Mr. Shiyas was taken to Oonnukal police station, the whereabouts of Mr. Kuzhalnadan were not immediately known. Protests were also held in Kochi city under the aegis of DCC in the early hours on Tuesday.

Their arrests were in two separate cases, including on non-bailable charges. The Ernakulam rural police had registered cases against them in connection with the protest and the alleged forcible acquisition of the body of Indira, who was trampled to death by a wild elephant, from the Kothamangalam taluk hospital.

The police, however, received a setback after a magistrate granted them interim bail around 3 a.m. on Tuesday. Their case is likely to be heard in the open court later in the day.