Thrikkakara Chairperson seeks police protection to enter office

Ajitha Thankappan files writ petition before High Court

Thrikkakara Municipal Chairperson Ajitha Thankappan has filed a writ petition before the Kerala High Court seeking police protection for entering her office and discharging duties as Chairperson of the Municipality. In her petition, she alleged that the Opposition councillors had created a “dreadful situation” whereby criminal forces had been used against the petitioner to deter her from discharging her lawful duties as Chairperson. She further alleged that P.C. Manoop and three other Opposition councillors incited other members to form unlawful assembly and resorted to assault with an intention to outrage her modesty in public. They had also insulted her “racially by raising humiliating, insulting and annoying slogans” referring to her caste and ridiculing her for being a member of a scheduled caste. Besides, they had forcibly restrained and confined the petitioner wrongfully in her official chamber with an intention to torture her from 3 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. on September 1, said the petition. They had also unleashed attacks on ruling party councillors and staff members after she was rescued by the police from the confinement. In fact, they had destroyed valuable properties of the municipality in the melee. Though she had lodged a complaint with the police, no action had been taken on it. The Opposition councillors also continued to assemble on the premises of the municipality and disrupted the smooth functioning of the council on September 3 as well, she said.