THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kovalam police on Friday arrested 11 persons in connection with the attack and man-handling of T P Sreenivasan, the former diplomat and Vice Chairman, Kerala State Higher Education Council, during the SFI protest held in front of Leela hotel, Kovalam, where the GEM is being held. Key accused Sarath, SFI district joint secretary, who had slapped Sreenivasan is absconding.
According to the police, Sreenivasan fell to the ground when Sarath slapped him. A case was registered based on Sreenivasan’s complaint.
He is alleged to be involved in the Malayinkeezhu police station attack in December 2014. It is alleged that the police response was not up to the mark.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police, Sanjay Kumar Gurudin, it was a lapse on the part of the police.
“There was some delay and the assistant commissioner of police has been asked to submit a report on the case. The visuals of the incident are being examined and appropriate action will be taken,” he said.
Kummanam Rajasekharan Condemns Attack
T’Puram: Condemning the attack on Higher Education Council Vice Chairman T P Sreenivasan, BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan on Friday asked the so-called critics of intolerance to make clear their stand on the incident. In a press release issued here he said it was an attempt to get political mileage by creating anarchy in the state through lawlessness. He asked the cultural leaders who had returned the awards in the name of a non-existent intolerance, to make clear what they had to say about the attack on a high official. He pointed out that it was the same people who disrupted Swami Chidanandapuri’s speech. Kummanam said the police had the knowledge that the SFI would create problems at the Global Education Meet in Kovalam where a a good number of them were present. T P Sreenviasan had complained that the police remained a mute witness to the assault and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala should reply to the complaint, he said.
Attack on Sreenivasan a Disgrace to State, Says CM
T’Puram: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said on Friday that the attack on diplomat and vice-chairman of Kerala State Higher Education Council, T P Sreenivasan, by SFI activists had brought disgrace to the state. ‘’Sreenivasan is a person who has immensely contributed to the nation as a former diplomat. He is a person of international repute and who is a pride of the state. The attack on Sreenivasan is a disgrace to the state,’’ he said. He was a person who stayed in the state even after he had several opportunities when he retired from service. But he stayed here and contributed a lot to the state, the chief minister said.