Tension grips Barton Hill colony

Thiruvananthapuram: The police said a tense situation was prevailing in Barton Hill colony following an intra-gang fight on Friday night. One person was seriously injured and a house damaged in the underworld factional fight.

 

Anil alias Ani Kuttan, 35, was admitted to the hospital with his right hand severed on the night of June 27. The police have named alleged gang leader “Goondukadu” Shabu as prime suspect in the attempted murder case.

 

Circle Inspector N.A. Baiju said Anil was Shabu’s close associate. He was looking after Shabu’s financial interests when the “gang leader” was detained in prison under the provisions of the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act. He said Shabu and Anil had become rivals recently. On Sunday night, Anil entered Shabu’s house with a cooking gas cylinder and tried to set the house on fire. Anil’s grievance was that Shabu had not secured his early release after he was arrested in an illicit liquor case.

 

The police said Shabu rushed his wife and her mother out of the house and cut Anil with a machete in self-defence. He absconded after admitting Anil to a hospital.

 

On Sunday, persons suspected to be Shabu’s supporters ransacked the house of Anil’s brother, Kunjumon. The CI said Kunjumon was attacked for alerting the police about the incident.

 

Shabu was arrested last year on the charge of carrying a machete to a public meeting attended by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan. He told the police that he faced threat from rival gangs and had carried the weapon for self protection. Shabu was also arrested last year on the charge of extorting money from a flat builder.

 

In February 2007, the Fort police booked Shabu on the charge of possessing a fake passport. The police said Shabu had spent five months in Dubai on a visit visa and later travelled to Kish, an Iranian city.

 

Shabu’s brother, “Goondukadu” Shaji, who was murdered in the 90’s, was accused by the police, along with some Congressmen, of throwing crude bombs at AKG Centre (State headquarters of the Communist Party of India-Marxist). Shabu is currently a member of the Barton Hill unit of the party’s youth wing and president of the local residents’ association.

UDF walkout over Kattappana violence

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition United Democractic (UDF) members staged a walkout from the Assembly on Monday over the violence at Kattappana in Idukki district on Sunday against KC(M) legislator Roshy Augustin, DCC president and former MLA P. T. Thomas and several Opposition activists. Leading the walkout, Congress deputy legislature party leader G. Karthikeyan accused the police of having entered into a pact with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M) to beat up opponents of the government and said the incidents in Idukki in connection with the elections to the Kattappana service cooperative bank proved this to be so. The large contingent of police present on the scene had remained passive spectators when CPI(M) workers beat up Opposition activists. Even the vehicle in which the injured former MLA was sought to be taken to hospital was detained and attacked, he said.

                               

Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that cases had been registered against eight CPI(M) activists for attacking Mr. Augustine, Mr. Thomas and others and against another 10 persons for the detention and vandalising of Mr. Augusthy’s car. The government had deployed a heavy contingent of police at the election venue on instructions from the Kerala High Court and the polling itself was peaceful. Out of 11,065 votes, 5,377 votes were polled and the UDF won in the election. The violence took place outside the polling booth and not inside, he said. K. Babu (Congress), who sought leave for an adjournment motion on the subject, accused the Home Minister of having misrepresented facts and said the violence was the handiwork of persons with no voting right who had entered the counting station as agents of LDF candidates. The violence took place in the presence of the police personnel.      

The Crime Squad under the Kalamassery Circle Inspector recovered gold ornaments and a mobile phone stolen in December 2006.

KOCHI: The Crime Squad under the Kalamassery Circle Inspector recovered gold ornaments and a mobile phone stolen in December 2006. The accused in the case, Arafat, 27, of Malappuram, was arrested recently at Ponnani in connection with a robbery case. During interrogation, he confessed to stealing gold ornaments weighing 34.5 sovereigns and one mobile phone from residence of Mathews near Changampuzha Nagar, Kalamassery, in the early morning hours of December 25, 2006.—Staff Reporter

DYFI plans campaign against superstition

ALAPPUZHA: The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), as part of its campaign against ‘trading of spiritualism’ and superstition, will set up a ‘Nava Kerala Samithi’ at the panchayat, municipal and corporation levels in the State.

 

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, DYFI State Secretary T.V. Rajesh said the constitution of the samithi’s branches would be completed by July 15. The body, which would continue its activities till the aims were met, was open to people from all religions and walks of life.

 

Congregations of inter-caste/inter-religion couples, weddings sans luxury and extravaganza and mass marriages would be among the activities of the samithi, Mr. Rajesh said, adding that campaigns against use of drugs and alcohol would also be part of the agenda.

 

Stating that the youth in Kerala had become “bar-attached” and in the grip of an alcohol-driven mafia, Mr. Rajesh said the DYFI would not hesitate to take action against any of its leaders or activists who accepted dowry.

 

On the textbook controversy, the DYFI leader said the issue was part of ‘polarisation attempts’ by certain communal forces. In the midst of that, private education traders were pushing students out on to the streets to further their agenda.

 

Alleging that certain religious forces ‘clad in robes’ were trying to inject communalism into the minds of children, Mr. Rajesh said ‘cheap’ politicians were taking help from such people to create religious rifts in society.

 

The DYFI and its allied student organisations would not allow such attempts to break the secular fabric of the State. Citing critical reports on student politics, Mr. Rajesh demanded that the media clarify its stance on the issue. Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy too should clarify his position on politics on the campus.

SFI to protest against fee hike in medical colleges

KANNUR: The Students Federation of India (SFI) will take out a protest march to the Secretariat on July 3 to protest against the fee hike in government medical colleges.

 

SFI State secretary A.N. Shamseer said at a press conference here on Tuesday that medical and paramedical students in the State would participate in the protest march and dharna. He also said that the SFI would launch a campaign on July 2 against the propaganda against the controversial Class VII social science textbook.

 

The SFI would distribute copies of the textbook to the public as part of the campaign to expose the propaganda being unleashed by communal interests.

 

Mr. Shamseer said that those who were demanding the withdrawal of the textbook were religious fanatics. He also said that Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy, Indian Union Muslim League leader P.K. Kunhalikutty, Archbishop Joseph Powathil and Nair Service Society general secretary P.K. Narayana Panikkar were working as a ‘gang of four’ to make Kerala a ‘lunatic asylum.’

Hartal total and peaceful in Idukki

KOTTAYAM: The day-long hartal in Idukki district, called by the UDF in protest against violence during the elections to the Kattappana Service Cooperative Bank, was total and barring stray incidents of violence, peaceful in the district.

 

Barring a few private vehicles, vehicular traffic in the district remained paralysed. Though the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation(KSRTC) ran a few services in convoy system to Ernakulam, Kottayam andKozhikode, it was withdrawn as the day went by. The attendance in government offices was minimal and commercial life came to a standstill as the small shopkeepers even in rural areas kept their shutters down.

 

According to the police, they have charged four cases for violence in connection with the hartal. Two person have been arrested and remanded to custody in Idukki for attacking the official vehicle of the Additional District Magistrate. The vehicle was going to take the ADM to office. Another six persons have been booked for petty violence in connection with the hartal in Painavu, the police said.

 

In Nedumkandom, cases have been charged against five persons for attacking the media team from a local TV channel.

 

Another case has been charged by Vandiperiyar police against persons who forcibly tried to close down a warehouse by locking up the official at the office.

 

According to the police, four incidents of violence have been reported from Kattappana. Speaking to The Hindu, the DCC president P. T. Thomas said that the hartal was peaceful and the popular support was unprecedented.

 

“Even in tiny hamlets, shops remained closed,” he said. Mr. Thomas alleged that for the past two or more years the atmosphere in Idukki was witnessing an unusual situation where only the CPI(M) was getting justice from the police. Even the LDF partner CPI, was accusing the police of partisanship, he said.

 

According to Mr. Thomas, the incidents on Sunday was only the latest in a series of incidents of political violence in the district perpetrated by the CPI(M).

 

A massive protest march was being planned for Tuesday at Kattappana.

Government to take steps to check "misuse" of funds

PATHANAMTHITTA: The Pulayar-Cheramar Sangama Vedi has called upon the government to take steps to check “misuse” of funds earmarked for Scheduled Castes by the local self-government institutions.

 

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, vedi leaders I.K. Raveendraraj and K.N. Achuthan alleged corruption in a day care centre-cum-old age home project of the district panchayat at the Anchumala SC colony at Kunnida near Adoor.

 

The district panchayat has constructed the day care centre and a road leading to it at a cost of Rs.56.5 lakh.

 

Seeking probe into the issue, the vedi leaders alleged that there was reason to suspect fund diversion in the construction of the centre in a private property.

 

Addressing another press conference at the Press Club here, Anchumala Colony Residents’ Association leaders C. Kochucheruckan and N. Gowri alleged that the corruption charges were politically motivated.

 

They said that the road constructed to the colony was a boon to the people there. They said a good number of women at the colony were working at the nearby cashew factories and the day-care centre would be of great relief to them while going for work.

 

Ms. Gowri said construction of a road to the hitherto inaccessible colony at a remote corner of the Adoor taluk was a long-pending demand of the residents.

 

The district panchayat initiated the day-care centre-cum-road project with the sole intention of opening a development corridor to the colony, they said.

 

Ajay C.Pillai, a local resident and action council leader, said the land for constructing the day-care centre was relinquished by three persons and a form for the same was submitted to the revenue authorities in 2006 itself as per the provisions of the Land Relinquishment Act.

 

Mr. Pillai alleged that the statements in the Local Audit Report that the centre was constructed in a private property in a non-populated area were false, raising doubts over the intention of the auditor.

 

Mr. Kochucheruckan said as many as 65 families, most of them belonging to the Kurava community, were residing in the colony for the several years and, hence, the mention “non-populated” area in the audit report was with a view to generating “controversy”.

Toddy workers’ march turns violent

KOLLAM: A march taken out by CITU-affiliated Chethu-Madya Vyavasaya Thozhilali Union to the Excise office complex at Chinnakada here on Thursday morning turned violent. The march was organised to press for the various demands of the union. Excise officials present at the complex said the demonstrators barged into the complex and damaged the official vehicle of Assistant Commissioner T. Rajendranachary parked in the portico.

The demonstrators broke the glass panes of the complex by throwing stones. Other vehicles kept there as material evidence in Abkari cases were also not spared.

BJP march against controversial textbook turns violent

ALAPPUZHA: A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) march to the District Collectorate here on Thursday, demanding withdrawal of the controversial Class VII social science textbook, ended in violence. Four policemen and two BJP activists were injured in the stone-pelting and lathi-charge that ensued.

The march, which began at 11.30 a.m. from the Mullackal Junction, was stopped by the police from entering the District Education Officer’s (DEO) office compound.

But with no adequate policemen or barricades in place, the agitators barged into the office compound, forcing the policemen to lathi-charge.

The agitators retaliated by pelting stones at them. While one policeman, Jayamohan, sustained injuries on his forehead, another policeman, Satheesh, suffered from a deep cut under his right eye. The situation was brought under control with the intervention of senior police officials and the BJP’s district leadership.

BJP State secretary P.M. Velayudhan then inaugurated a dharna staged by the agitators in front of the DEO’s Office. The police later arrested 10 persons in connection with the incident. They were later let off on bail.

DYFI plans State-wide protests today

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) will organise State-wide protests on Friday to focus attention on the “violent agitations” being organised these days by the Congress and the BJP.

This was stated at a press conference here on Thursday by K.S. Sunilkumar, member of the State secretariat of the DYFI.

Referring to the clash between activists of the DYFI and the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Mocha in front of the Secretariat here on Thursday evening, Mr. Sunilkumar said the “first stone” had come from the Morcha activists. This was a pre-meditated attack as was the stoning of the NGO union process in front of the secretariat earlier in the day. By unleashing violence on the streets, the BJP and its feeder organisations had become the ‘B team’ of the UDF, he said.

When the DYFI protest march reached the Secretariat the activists squatted on the road well away from the barricade across the road erected by the police. When the Morcha activists started throwing stones, some DYFI activists threw them back. The police were caught in the middle and they reacted. This could not be interpreted as providing help to the DYFI, he argued.

Four DYFI activists who were injured in the incident were hospitalised, Mr. Sunilkumar added.

BJP hartal in city today

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal in the capital on Friday in protest against the alleged attack on party activists by the police and the CPI(M).

State president P.K. Krishnadas told reporters here on Thursday that BJP activists who took out a march to the Deputy Director of Education Office in Alappuzha and the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists who were observing a satyagraha against the government’s policies were targeted by the police and the CPI(M) activists without any provocation.

A number of party activists, including Thiruvananthapuram district president C. Sivankutty, were hurt in the attacks and hospitalised.

The party would observe protest day all over the State on Friday, he said.

Mr. Krishnadas accused the police of abetting the DYFI activists to attack the BJP.

The government was trying to muffle the protests of the Opposition and gag the media.

The attacks were part of a conspiracy hatched by the CPI(M).

The BJP would intensify the agitation till the government withdrew the controversial social studies textbook. All essential services would be exempted from the hartal, he said.

Toddy workers’ union march turns violent

KOLLAM: A march taken out by Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU)-affiliated Chethu-Madya Vyavasaya Thozhilali Union to the Excise office complex at Chinnakada here on Thursday morning turned violent.

The march was organised to press for the various demands of the union.

Excise officials present at the complex said the demonstrators barged into the complex and damaged the official vehicle of Assistant Commissioner T. Rajendranachary parked in the portico.

The demonstrators then broke the glass panes of the complex by throwing stones. Other vehicles kept in the complex as material evidence in Abkari cases were also not spared.

A nearby liquor outlet of the Consumerfed was also attacked.

The police did not intervene, Excise personnel said. Police sources but denied the allegation and said they had intervened and brought the situation under control. Three persons involved in the violence were arrested soon after, they added.

Students’ protest against bar hotel in MALAPPURAM

MALAPPURAM: As the world observed International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on Thursday, students of a primary school at a remote village in Malappuram district showed way for their elders by taking out a march to a site where a bar hotel is proposed to be built.

Fed up with the usual anti-drug pledges and classes conducted annually, the students of AUP School, Irumbuchola in A.R. Nagar panchayat, took to the streets demanding abandoning of the proposed bar hotel project at Valiyaparamba near Thalappara on the National Highway 17.

The students not only rallied against the hotel but also demanded restoration of a paddy field filled for the purpose. The hotel was being built levelling hills and filling a portion of the paddy field. They also raised slogans against a toddy shop functioning in the area.

Several parents and teachers joined the children as they moved in procession along the highway holding placards and singing songs against drug and alcohol abuse. About 350 students took part in the protest march, which apparently gave a fillip to the not-so-active people’s agitation council.

C.R. Neelakandan, environmental activist, inaugurated the children’s march. They took a pledge against drug abuse.

V. Mayankutty, accused in the murder of a nine-year-old schoolgirl at Payyoli

Kozhikode: V. Mayankutty, accused in the murder of a nine-year-old schoolgirl at Payyoli on Monday, has been remanded in judicial custody for 14 days. Amid tight security, the police produced him before the Judicial First Class Magistrate’s Court at Payyoli on Wednesday.

Investigators are also planning to move an affidavit before the court to get him into police custody to collect more evidence and verify details in the case. He was charged under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)

Mayankutty had smothered the Class IV student of M.L.P School at Cherandathur with a shawl after she resisted his attempts to sexually exploit her. He strangled her when she told him that she would disclose this to her mother and teachers. The girl had gone to his house during recess at 11.15 a.m. to drink water. However, the teachers and friends found her missing when the classes resumed. A search by teachers and local people led them to the house of Mayankutty. The body was found hidden in a sack inside a shed on the terrace of the house at 12.30 p.m. The police had to burst teargas shells and resort to a lathicharge to take the accused into custody on Monday. Local people had gathered in large number in front of the house. A violent mob had also hurled stones at the car of the Revenue Divisional Officer.The Payyoli police arrested nine persons involved in the violent incident.

Arrested two youngsters in connection with the murder of alleged drug peddler Sathar

Thiruvananthapuram: In connection with the murder of alleged drug peddler Sathar, 34, at a bar hotel near Eenchakkal junction last week the police have arrested two youngsters i.

City Police Commissioner Ravada Azad Chandresekhar said the suspects Syed Ali, 19, and Hanifa, 23, had killed their mentor Sathar to avenge the physical harassment and humiliation he had inflicted on them. The police said Sathar headed a heroin peddling racket based in Beemapally. In 2004, the Fort police arrested Sathar on the charge of killing one of his customers by administering an overdose of heroin. He was arrested again on a similar murder charge a year later.

The police said Sathar had initiated Syed Ali and Hanifa into the world of crime and drugs. The youth parted ways with Sathar last year. The friends met again this year to jointly sell footwear at Beemapally during the Urus Festival. The police said Sathar started harassing them again for money.

On June 20, Sathar beat them at his nephew’s house in Beemapally. The torture hardened the resolve of the suspects to kill Sathar. They stole two machetes from a coconut vendor and fabricated two crude explosives for the operation.

Syed Ali stole a motorbike from East Fort. He met Sathar at Vallakkadavu at 7.30 p.m. and invited him to the bar hotel for a drink. Sathar ran into the bar when he saw Hanifa approaching him in an aggressive manner.

The suspects chased Sathar into the hotel and cut him down in front of at least 70 customers. The police counted 28 wounds on Sathar’s body. They recovered two unexploded crude bombs and a machete from the scene of crime.

The youth fled to Kanyakumari and later to Madurai on the stolen motorbike. The police got the mobile phone numbers of the suspects from one of their relatives. They used the help of mobile phone service providers to track the youth. The police led by Circle Inspector B. Harikumar followed them from Tirunelveli to a fishing hamlet near Vizhinjam from where they were arrested.

The Commissioner has announced rewards for Mr. Harikumar and his crime squad members A. R. Ajith and N. Rajan.

 

Students’ union attacks Jubilee Mission Medical College


THRISSUR: About 20 members of the All-India Students’ Federation (AISF), the student wing of the CPI, barged into the office of the Jubilee Mission Medical College here on Tuesday afternoon and allegedly caused minor damage to the office.

The members, led by AISF State joint secretary K.P. Sandeep, raised slogans against the college management, which did not follow the government fee structure in admission. The police later arrested them.

AISF district committee said in a statement that it would continue to protest against the admission procedure of self-financing colleges under the Inter Church Council, which did not reach in an agreement with government in fee structure. The Minority Rights Protection Committee of the Thrissur Archdiocese staged a rally in the evening to protest the attack on Jubilee Mission College.

Addressing the rally, Vicar General Raphel Thattil said the church would not surrender to threats.

“We are not ready for an agreement on the fee structure in our college with the government under the present terms and conditions," he said. Those who could not even open a nursery school were criticising the church, which was running many prestigious education institutions for years, he said.

MIC Church Imam, Muhammed Faizi Onampilly inaugurated the meeting held at the end of the protest rally. The Kerala Catholic Youth Movement also took out a rally to protest the attack.

Girl smothered to death: autopsy report

Kozhikode: V. Mayankutty, accused in the murder of a girl at Payyoli on Monday, confessed that he had smothered the nine-year-old student to death, the police said.

He will be produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Payyoli, on Wednesday. The Payyoli police have charged him with Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code. Vadakara Circle Inspector Jaison K. Abraham is investigating the case.

Mayankutty was examined at the Dental College and at the Department of Forensic Medicine of the medical college hospital.

A post-mortem examination was conducted at the Government Medical College Hospital here on Tuesday. A brief autopsy statement said that the death was due to smothering. The complete autopsy report will be submitted later.

The body was buried on the Cherandathur mosque premises, near Payyoli. A hartal was observed in Maniyoor grama panchayat limits on Tuesday.

Four hurt in accident

Kalpetta: A truck and a utility vehicle collided at Pathirippalm on National Highway-212, near Meenangadi, on Tuesday. Four persons travelling in the utility vehicle were admitted to a private hospital at Sulthan Bathery with injuries.

Ration dealers plan strike on July 14

ALAPPUZHA: The All Kerala Retail Ration Dealers’ Association has declared a one-day strike on July 14 in protest against “harassment” by the Civil Supplies Department. In a statement here, association general secretary R. Radhakrishnan said ration dealers would close shops, take out protest marches to taluk supply offices and stage dharnas on July 14.

If the authorities failed to heed to their demands, a joint action council representing the ration sector would be constituted to intensify the agitation. Mr. Radhakrishnan alleged that the past 24 months were marked by the government’s failure to implement promises, denial of benefits, unjustified raids and conspiracies to weigh them down with financial burdens.

Youth Congress march turns violent in Kottayam

KOTAYAM: Four activists of Indian Youth Congress (I) including state secretary Jaygi Palackalodi and two policemen were injured when the protest march taken out against the controversial text books on Tuesday turned violent.

The YC (I) activists, led by Congress (I) state general secretary Joseph Vazhackan and former DCC(I) president Anto Antony, started the march from the Gandhi Square in the heart of the town. By the time they reached the main gates of the Collectorate, police had cordoned off the area. The agitated protestors tried to crash on to the barricades forcing the police to push them back and use cane to disperse them.

In the melee, a few of them jumped the barricades and got into the Collectorate premises. They were chased away by the police. The conflict, which continued for over an hour put the entire traffic system in the town out of gear.

Meanwhile, the dispersed activists regrouped and took out another march to the office of the deputy director of education at Vayaskara Hills. They disrupted the distribution of text books for nearly half-an-hour till the police arrested and removed them.

The dharna at the collectorate gate was inaugurated by Mr JosephVazhackan. He said the content of the texts was a covert attempt to spread communist philosophy. While the content would look innocent for a lay reader, a close look would bring out the hidden agenda. He said that there was a clear attempt to trivialise historical incidents in which the communist parties did not figure and magnify small incidents which were important to the party. “To bring out the whole agenda, one has to read the texts along with the handbooks given to teachers,” he alleged.

Youth Congress activists who were injured in the violence are RegiMecherry, Aneesh Ramakrishnan and Joby George , all district office-bearers.

Youth found dead, 5 in custody

KOLLAM: A 22-year-old man was found lying dead on the road side at Puthurmukku junction, near Kottarakara, on Tuesday morning. Police identified him as Ratheesh who resided not far from where the body was found.

The body, lying by a shrubbery, was first noticed by the Highway Police.

The Kottarakara police arrived on the scene and removed the body to the Kottarakara Taluk Hospital.

The body had bruises all over the back. The police took it to be a murder.

They took five men into custody for interrogations in connection with the incident.

The police said that on Monday night there was a complaint that a group of youngsters were forcibly stopping passing vehicles at Puthurmukku and demanding contributions towards some fund.

The police chased them away. Those taken into custody belonged to that group.

The body of Ratheesh was handed over to relatives after the autopsy at the Kottarakara Taluk Hospital.

The Kottarakara police have registered a case.

Man arrested

Thrissur: The Railway Protection Force on Thursday said it arrested K. S.Vijayan, 48, on charges of touting railway tickets under section 143of the Indian Railway Act.He was nabbed from the Thrissur railway station on Wednesday around 6-30 p.m. The RPF seized three tickets from him.— Staff Reporter

Lathi-charge on KSU march

Thrissur: Police lathicharged the activists of the Kerala Students’ Union here on Thursday after the march taken out by them to the District Collectorate turned violent.

 

T.N. Prathapan, MLA, and 20 activists of the KSU suffered injuries in the lathi-charge and have been hospitalised.

 

The United Democratic Front (UDF) will observe a dawn-to-dusk hartal in the district on Friday in protest against the lathicharge.

 

Activists led by KSU State general secretary A. Prasad, secretaries Sunil Lalur and Shoan Pallissery and district president Najeeb Mohammed took out a march to the Collectorate around 11.15 a.m. seeking to withdraw the social studies textbook of Class VII and to implement government fees for 50 per cent merit seats in self-financing professional colleges.

 

MLAs T.N. Prathapan and Therambil Ramakrishnan addressed the activists. The activists who tried to push through the police cordon were chased away.The agitators, however, returned and continued to provoke the police. A lathi-charge ensued and many activists sustained severe injuries.

 

Mr. Prathapan intervened and persuaded the police to stop the lathi-charge.

 

He received blows despite attempts by Deputy Superintendent of Police P. Radhakrishnan to protect him. “The lathi-charge was fierce. The police chased and attacked the students till they bled. The Dy.SP was apologetic later,” Mr. Prathapan said.

 

Tension prevailed in and around the Collectorate following clashes between the police and students.

 

Mr. Prathapan and a few activists staged a dharna in front of the Collectorate.

 

The protesters left the place after Superintendent of Police M.P. Dinesh promised to take action against the policemen who beat the MLA. Angry KSU and Youth Congress activists later took out a march along the Swaraj Round .

Sex racket busted in Thiruvalla

PATHANAMTHITTA: A sex racket operating from a rented house at Kaviyoor near Thiruvalla was busted in a raid conducted by the Thiruvalla police early Thursday morning. A police party, led by Mallappally Circle Inspector Deva Manohar and Thiruvalla Sub-Inspector K.R. Pratheek, arrested four persons, including two women, from the house.

 

Ninan Mathew, 34, Kombakkeril, Niranom, who runs Sevana Hospital in Hyderabad; Bineesh, 25, Mamballil, Paippad; Omana, 44, Thaimaravumkara; and Geetha, 34, Vellampara, Malappuram; were the arrested persons.

 

The raid party seized a car and four mobile phones belonging to Mathew from the house premises.

 

According to the Sub-Inspector, the raid followed a telephonic tip off received at the police station.

10 KSU activists injured in police lathi-charge

PATHANAMTHITTA: Ten activists of the Kerala Students Union (KSU) suffered injuries when a march taken out by the union on Thursday turned violent after the police tried to prevent the demonstrators from entering the Mini Civil station premises.

 

The march to the Mini Civil Station was held as part of a Statewide agitation by the KSU in protest against the

 

education policy of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government. The march was led by KSU district president Aneesh Varikkannamala.

 

Violence broke out when a group of demonstrators tried to break the police cordon in front of the Mini Civil Station which houses the court complex, financial complex, etc. The protesters were caned by the police party led by Dy.SP Sabu P. Idiculla.

 

Meanwhile, a group of Youth Congress workers led by Babu Divakaran, district president; A. Sureshkumar, former district president; Vettoor Jyotiprasad, Congress Seva Dal district chairman; Jasimkutty; Renees Muhammed and K.G. Kannan; joined the agitators. The KSU-Youth Congress workers staged a sit-in in front of the Mini Civil Station.

 

Addressing the workers, Mr. Sureshkumar and Mr. Divakaran warned the government of serious consequences if it tried to suppress the agitation by “misusing” the police force. They said the agitation seeking the withdrawal of “unscientific” school textbook would be intensified in the coming days. Anil Thomas, former Youth Congress national secretary, addressed the meet.

 

The injured KSU workers were identified as Aneesh Varikkannamala, Vimalkumar, Jose Peringanad, Shitto Kadambanad, Aby Veerappally, Ratheesh Kalanjoor, Rahul Mankoottathuil, Robin K. Jose, Jomon Koshy and Shyamlal. They were admitted to General Hospital here.

 

The KSU district committee has called for an education bandh in the district on Friday in protest against Thursday’s police action.

 

District Congress Committee secretaries Pazhakulam Madhu and Omni Eapen said Congress workers would take out torchlight processions in different parts of the district on Friday in protest against the police action on KSU workers and the education policy of the LDF government.

 

In another statement, Mr. Divakaran said Youth Congress workers would take out a march to Mini Civil Station on June 23 in protest against the education policy of the government.

Attack on police decried

Kozhikode: The Kerala Police Officers Association has expressed serious concern over the attack by various students’ and youth organisations on police personnel during protest marches and demonstrations in recent times.

 

The association’s Kozhikode city committee president A. Hasinar and secretary T.K. Saumiyan said here on Thursday that leaders of political parties needed to take immediate steps to stop the violence against police force in the name of public protest. Sub inspector T.P. Jacob attached to the Kasaba station had sustained head injuries in stone-pelting by Kerala Students Union activists during a protest march in front the Deputy Director of Education office here on Wednesday.

Signalman missing

KOCHI: A signalman at the Cochin Port Trust went missing after he logged into duty for night shift on Tuesday. However, his absence was detected only when his family made a complaint to the police on Thursday when he did not return from duty. Following this, the diving team of the Navy was pressed into service in the evening. However, the searched proved futile.

Youth protest

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The All India Youth League, youth wing of the All India Forward Bloc, staged a demonstration here on Thursday urging the Chief Justice of India to reject the honorary doctorate being conferred on him by the University of Kerala. The organisation said the university was in the dock for the alleged irregularities in some of the appointments made by it recently. The participants were blind-folded in a symbolic gesture. They alleged that conferring of the degree on the Chief Justice was part of a move to put pressure on the Lok Ayukta which was looking into the appointment case.

Police use water cannon to disperse Kerala Congress (M) (KC-M) activists

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The police had to use water cannon to disperse Kerala Congress (M) (KC-M) activists who tried to break the police cordon on Thursday during a march to the official residence of Education Minister M.A. Baby to protest against the politicisation of education.

 

The march was taken out from the Martyrs’ Column via Nanthencode to the Cliff House premises. It was stopped by the city police near Devaswom Board junction by erecting barricades.

 

As a section of the activists tried to pull down the barricades, the police used water cannon to disperse the protestors.

 

Later addressing the party activists, party leader K.M. Mani cautioned the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government against implementing its “hidden agenda” in the education sector. Mr. Mani alleged that Communist ideology was being forced on students. He demanded withdrawal of textbooks that were against religion and culture.

 

Meanwhile, the museum police registered a case against Mr. Mani, Joseph M. Puthuserry, Thomas Chazhikadan, Roshy Augustine, all MLAs, Jose K. Mani and 300 other party activists.

KSU march turns violent

MALAPPURAM: A march taken out by workers of the Kerala Students Union (KSU) to the Collectorate here on Thursday turned violent when stopped by the police.

 

Eight protestors, including district congress secretary Paramban Rasheed, were injured in the lathi-charge. Seven policemen were also injured in the stone throwing. Anticipating trouble by the KSU activists protesting against the government’s education policies, policemen with batons and shields had been posted at the entrance of the Collectorate.

 

Even before the KSU marchers reached the barricade, stones started flying at the police, who promptly responded with canes. A small group of KSU activists who crossed the barricade was beaten up and the others were chased away. The police fired two tear-gas shells to disperse the agitators.

 

Apart from Mr. Rasheed, the injured KSU workers included district president A. Aboobacker, Noufal Babu, Hashid Anakkayam, vice-president Siddique Panthavur, V.T. Riyas and Rohit. They were admitted to different hospitals.

 

The police arrested five KSU workers in connection with the incident. Congress leaders, including A.P. Anil Kumar, MLA, marched to the police station here to release some of the injured students rounded up by the police.

 

Addressing newsmen later, Congress leader Aryadan Mohammed, MLA, warned that the Congress would respond angrily if such attack on its student wing continued. Mr. Mohammed said that there was nothing new in a lathi-charge, but the one that took place in Malappuram was brutal and vindictive. “Even the arrested students were mercilessly beaten up inside the van. The police did not even spare DCC secretary Paramban Rasheed, who went to help the students already beaten up,” said Mr. Mohanned.

 

The Congress leader demanded that an investigation be conducted into the incident and the officer responsible be punished.

Congress march

 

 

The Congress will take out a march to the District Police Superintendent’s office here on Friday morning to protest against the incident.

Hotel Worker killed by his collegue

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Youth held for murder

Thrissur: Police arrested Rajesh (20), son of Rajakumaran, Palakkad,on Monday in connection with the murder of a hotel worker Venugopal (43) of Pullazhi. Both were cleaning workers at a hotel, near Sakthan Thamburan bus stand, Thrissur. Venugopal was admitted to the district hospital with stab injuries on June 10. Later he succumbed to his injuries. Police said a petty quarrel over a sleeping mat led to the murder. Rajesh has acted in the film ‘Meesa Madhavan’.

Marad case: trial of juveniles suspended

Kozhikode: The Kozhikode Juvenile Justice Board on Monday decided to temporarily suspend proceedings in the trial of the five juveniles connected to the massacre of nine fishermen at Marad seaside on May 2, 2003.

 

Kozhikode Chief Judicial Magistrate K.V. Gopikuttan, who is the chairman of the board, and member Nazir Chaliyam took the decision after special prosecutor P.D. Ravi moved a petition seeking suspension of the trial.

 

The petition stated that material evidences were required to proceed further with the trial and examination of witnesses.

 

As of now, all materials were in the custody of the Marad Special Court at Eranhipalam.

 

It had recently completed the trial of the 137 accused in the case.

 

Earlier, the High Court of Kerala had ordered that the materials should be transferred to the Juvenile Justice Board only after the Marad Special Court completed all proceedings in connection with trial.

 

Nearly 102 witnesses have been examined by the board so far in connection with the trial. The board had approved to examine 175 witnesses in the case. The trial of the juveniles was started in 2007.

 

Among those who deposed include former Kozhikode Collector T.O. Sooraj, former Kozhikode Revenue Divisional Officer P. Balan, former Kozhikode Tahasildhar P. Koyakutty and former Beypore village officer K.V. Sundaran Nair.

BJYM march turns violent

Kozhikode: Two activists of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) were injured when the police fired grenades at a protest march taken out by the party to the sales outlet of Indus Motors at Cheruvannur gramapanchayat here on Monday.

 

BJYM district committee members V. Rajeesh and E. Prasanth Kumar suffered injuries and were admitted to a hospital. The march was organised demanding that the government take back the land that houses the outlet, which is owned by Indian Union Muslim League leader and MP P.V. Abdul Wahab on the outskirts of the city.

 

Trouble started around 11 a.m. when 100 BYJM activists led by its State president K. Surendran took out a march to the outlet.

 

The police prevented them from entering the premises. Grenades were fired when the activists tried to force their way into the compound. The protesters were also caned.

 

Glass panes were destroyed when some agitators threw stones at the building. Traffic was blocked on the National Highway No.17 for a few hours.

 

The Nallalam police registered a case in connection. Inaugurating the march, Mr. Surendran said that government was lax in recovering the land owned by Mr. Wahab since it wanted to support his business interests.

 

He said he had petitioned the President of India to order an inquiry into Mr. Wahab taking possession of government land.

 

The land was given to the West India Steel Company in 1964 to set up a steel unit. However, the company closed down in 1997. Subsequently Mr. Wahab started his car sales outlet there.

 

As per the agreement reached between the government and the steel company “no company for which any land is acquired under this part shall be entitled to the said land or any part thereof by sale, mortgage, gift and lease or otherwise except with the previous sanction of the government.”

Santhosh Madhavan aide arrested

KOCHI: The Crime Branch team probing into reported financial irregularities by Santhosh Madhavan has arrested one of his accomplices.

 

Girish, the arrested person, ran R.G. Constructions at Kacheripadi here. Land deals at Panavally and Puthevelikkara, estimated to cost around Rs.15 crore, were allegedly made through Girish, sources said.

 

He was arrested from the city on Monday at 6 p.m.

One arrested in counterfeit note case

KOCHI: The Special Investigation Group-II of Ernakulam Crime Branch arrested the main accused in a counterfeit currency case registered nine years ago.

 

The accused was identified as Ashraf, 42, son of Bava, Parippel Veedu, Kakkanadu. He was charged with attempting to spend 99 fake notes of denominations Rs. 100 at Palluruthy on March 4, 1999. The Palluruthy police registered a case on this, which was later handed over to the Crime Branch.

 

Another accused in the case, Louis from Fort Kochi, was arrested earlier. Ernakulam Additional Sessions Court-II had issued arrest warrants for Ashraf. He had been absconding since then.

 

The Crime Branch team learnt that the accused was hiding in Palluruthy, Mattanchery, Coimbatore, Pollachi and Thrikkakara before reaching Nilampathinjamukal near Kakkanadu, from where he was arrested on Monday.

Port workers threaten stir

KOCHI: The All India Port and Dock Workers’ Federation has warned the Union Ministry for Shipping that unless a decision is taken by June 25 on its demands, including payment of interim relief, the federation would be forced to call for a nation-wide indefinite strike.

 

In a letter sent to Union Minister for Shipping T.R. Baalu, federation president S.R. Kulkarni appealed for speedy payment of interim relief to the port workers. The Indian Ports’ Association had agreed in March to pay interim relief at the rate of 13.5 per cent with effect from January 2007. However, Mr. Kulkarni said, no government order had been issued to this effect so far. He expressed surprise at the “unjustified delay” and alleged red tape and bureaucratic technicalities overshadowing the payment.

 

The federation leader justified the demand for the payment of interim relief reiterating that the major ports in the country had achieved high productivity and profit last year.

 

The port and dock workers demanded merger of 50 per cent DA with basic pay with effect from January 2005.

 

A discussion on the R.K. Jain Committee report was another demand raised by the federation.

 

The Committee report had suggested “realistic assessment of vacancies,” said the letter.

Murder suspect held

Thiruvananthapuram: The Crime Branch has arrested a murder suspect who has been absenting himself from the court trial of the case for the past 5 years. A police team led Inspector General of Police Harinath Mishra arrested the suspect, “Anali” Vijayan, from Kollam.

 

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh activist was named as fourth accused in the murder of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) worker Sunil Kumar at Chalakuzhy Lane, near the medical college hospital here, on the night of March 3, 1992

Student killed, sister injured in accident

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A 11-year-old boy was killed and his sister seriously injured when a speeding State government car knocked them down on M. C. Road, near Manicode Siva Temple, in Venjaramoodu on Monday.

 

The deceased, Akhil, was a Class VI student of Government Higher Secondary School, Venjaramoodu, and his sister, Aiswarya, 14, is studying in Class X in the same school. The incident took place around 9 a.m. when the children were proceeding to school.

 

According to the police, the road accident took place a couple of yards away from the house. The car swerved from the left side of the carriageway and mowed down the children who were on the right side.

 

Akhil who was thrown into the air by the impact fell on to the windshield of a private car.

 

After knocking down the children, the car rammed a compound wall and came to a halt. The car was proceeding from Kottarakara to the capital.

 

Managing Director of the Land Development Corporation Subair Khan and the driver Madhusudhnan Nair sustained injuries. Both of them have been admitted to a private hospital in the city.

 

Akhil is the son of Sudhakaran and Prasanna residing at Gouri Nandanam, Vayetta, Venjaramoodu. Aiswarya, who sustained injuries, was rushed to a nearby private medical college and later shifted to the medical college hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.

 

The Venjaramood police have registered a case. The body of Akhil was handed over to the relatives after post mortem.

36 kg ganja seized

MALAPPURAM: A total of 36 kg of ganja, estimated at several lakhs of rupees in the black market, was seized in two separate cases in the district on Monday.

 

The first seizure took place at Perinthalmanna, leading to the detection of a ganja racket that used to supply the drug to the entire Malabar.

 

Pandichami, alias Andiyappan, 53, of Attappadi was rounded up from the Perinthalmanna Kerala State Road Transport Corporation bus-stand with two kg of ganja.

 

The police later recovered 31 kg of ganja from his Attappadi house.

 

Police sources said the ganja recovered from Attappadi belonged to the ‘Neelachadayan’ group, which can fetch nearly Rs.3.5 lakh in the black market.

 

In another case, excise officers seized 3.6 kg of ganja from Parappanangadi in the district. Autorickshaw driver Anil Kumar, 23, and his father, Kotha, 52, were detained with the ganja.