Four workers, who were arrested by the Alappuzha South Police in connection with imposition of ‘nokku kooli’ for unloading works during the recently held Coir Fest here, were remanded in judicial custody for 14 days by the Alappuzha First Class Magistrate court on Friday.
The South police had recently registered a case against four ‘recognisable’ persons based on a complaint by Mr. Radhakrishnan, mechanical engineer of the Centre Coir Research Institute (CCRI) under the Coir Board in Kalavoor near here. The police arrested four workers on Thursday.
According to the complainant, the labourers demanded Rs 3,500 as ‘nokku kooli’ for giving permission to unload the two machines, one mat weaving and another de-fibering. Finally, the rate was brought down to Rs 1,500 and the labourers allowed the machinery to be unloaded only after paying this amount.
