Collector to submit report on police-CPI clash

Collects preliminary statements from injured activists, police officers

District Collector S. Suhas is expected to submit within a week an inquiry report on the clashes between the police and the Communist Party of India (CPI) activists on Tuesday.

Eleven CPI activists, including the party legislator from Muvattupuzha, Eldho Abraham, and party district secretary K. Raju, and three police personnel were injured after police caned protesters at a march taken out by the CPI to the Inspector General’s office.

It is learnt that Mr. Suhas has already initiated the inquiry by meeting both the party activists and the police personnel at the hospitals where they have been admitted to.

He had collected preliminary statements. Detailed statements would be collected after giving the injured a day to recover, the sources said.

K. Lalji, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ernakulam, who remained admitted to the General Hospital with fracture on the left arm said that the Collector had met him and inquired about the incident.

Medical reports, footages

Mr. Suhas has reportedly collected the medical reports on the injuries and the CCTV footage of the showdown.

Five CPI leaders, including Mr. Abraham, remain admitted to two private hospitals in the city while three policemen are recovering at the General Hospital.

The CPI had taken out the protest march demanding action against police inspector of Njarakkal, M.K. Murali. They accused the inspector of being lenient to a group of Democratic Youth Federation of India and Students Federation of India (SFI) activists, who allegedly accosted and waylaid Mr. Raju a few days ago when he reached the government hospital at Njarakkal to visit the All India Students Federation activists injured in a clash with SFI activists at Government Arts and Science College, Elankunnapuzha, Vypeen. The CPI accused the Chief Minister of not taking action against the erring officer and took out a protest march.

Case registered

Meanwhile, the Central police have registered a case against the activists invoking Sections 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 331 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt to extort confession, or to compel restoration of property) and Section 3 (1) of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

CM promises action

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday promised action if a government enquiry into the police baton charge that injured several CPI activists, including Eldo Abraham, MLA, found any officer guilty of unjustified use of force. He said the government had ordered the District Collector to investigate the incident and was awaiting his report. The police action has strained the relations between the CPI and the CPI(M), both members of the Left Democratic Front.