Dalit sisters held in Kannur, granted conditional bail

Siblings who were arrested on charges of assaulting CPI(M) workers after their release on bail outside the Women’s Jail in Kannur on Saturday. Akhila went to jail with her child. Photo: S.K. Mohan

The arrest of two siblings, daughters of a local Congress functionary, in connection with an alleged assault on a Communist Party of India (Marxist) worker near Thalassery, is snowballing into a major political controversy with the Congress and the BJP leadership alleging that the arrest is politically motivated.

Akhila, 30, and Anjana, 25, were released on bail by the Principal Sessions Court at Thalassery on Saturday. The court released them at 5 p.m. after they were granted bail on the condition that they should report to the nearest police station on Saturdays and surrender their passports.The young women, daughters of N. Rajan, local leader of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) who contested as the Congress candidate in the last election to the Thalassery municipality, were arrested on June 17 in connection with the alleged assault on M.V. Shijin (27) in a local CPI(M) office at Kuttimakkool, near Thalassery, on June 11. The sisters were remanded in custody for two weeks. Akhila went to jail with her 18-month-old child.

Siblings allege harassment

The siblings, who belong to the Scheduled Caste community, have filed a police complaint against Shijin and other CPI(M) workers for allegedly insulting them by referring to their caste. The Thalassery police registered two cases in connection with the incident.

“That the two women could assault CPI(M) workers in their party office goes against common sense,” said senior Congress leader K. Sudhakaran.