Police personnel booked on petitions filed by KSU activists in connection with protest against Navakerala Sadas

On December 12, that too on being reprimanded by a magistrate court in Perumbavur where the four KSU activists were produced did the police register the cases against as yet unidentified police persons.

The Kuruppanpady police have registered four cases against police persons on four petitions lodged by as many Kerala Students Union (KSU) activists booked in connection with the protest staged against the Nava Kerala Sadas at Odakkali in Perumbavur Assembly Constituency on December 10.

After an evening of sustained tension, the police had arrested and registered a case against KSU State office bearer Basil Varghese and KSU activists Jibin Mathew, Jaiden Johnson and Devakumar T. after they hurled shoes at the Nava Kerala Sadas bus carrying the Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues and a police escort vehicle.

However, the accused themselves had complained against police highhandedness on which the police had not immediately registered any case. Only two days later, on December 12, that too on being reprimanded by a magistrate court in Perumbavur where the accused were produced did the police register the four cases against as yet unidentified police persons.

“We registered the cases on the same day we received the direction of the magistrate and the FIRs (First Information Reports) were submitted before the court the very next day. We are investigating the cases and the complainants had not identified the cops in their petitions. It will emerge during the course of the investigation,” Kuruppanpady police sources said.

Also read | Attack on Youth Congress leaders was a natural response, says Pinarayi

Cases have been registered against the police personnel under IPC Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous means and weapons) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

The FIRs not only mention about normal police personnel but also those wearing police commando uniform while describing considerable violence that was allegedly unleashed on the four petitioners. They were shoved around, beaten up with canes and kicked, including inside the police vehicles.