KOZHIKODE: Seventeen days since a seven-member gang attacked a four-month pregnant woman and her family, the police on Thursday arrested six more CPM activists, including a branch secretary. The arrest also comes a day after the woman, Jyotsana Siby, and her family staged a dharna in front of the Kodencheri police station demanding justice. Thampy Thettalil, CPM’s Kallantharamedu branch secretary, Joy aka Kuttan, Saithalavi, Renjith Vadakkedathu, Benoy Keezhakath and Sarasamma aka Kuttyamma are the arrested. The police had earlier arrested Prajeesh, a neighbour of the woman, in connection with the incident. Jyotsana, 28, had filed a complaint alleging the gang led by Prajeesh barged into her house and thrashed her husband.
“When I tried to intervene they attacked me and kicked me in the stomach. I was four months pregnant and started bleeding. Though I was rushed to the Medical College, I lost my child,” said Jyotsana. “There were land disputes between Prajeesh and us since we shifted to Velamcode after buying a property. Prajeesh was forced to demolish his boundary wall following the orders of the surveyor. Since then, he carried a grudge against us,” she alleged.
“He always verbally abused us. My husband works in Kochi and so, the situation was difficult for my kids and I. I had lodged a police complaint against Prajeesh earlier, too,” he said. “There have been issues, even petty, between the two families earlier. But this time, the limit has been crossed as a pregnant woman was also attacked,” said the police.
Charges slapped The police have booked the accused under IPC Sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 447 (criminal trespass), 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons) and 316 (Causing death of quick unborn child by act amounting to culpable homicide). The last two charges are non-bailable.