THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM councillor R Unnikrishnan has been booked for allegedly assaulting a woman civil police officer on the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple premises.
The complaint states that Unnikrishnan forcefully twisted the officer’s right elbow and hit her forehead during an argument over allowing devotees inside the temple. The case, filed by the Fort Police, includes non-bailable charges such as criminal intimidation, physical assault and obstruction of duty.
However, CCTV footage that came out later shows that Unnikrishnan was accompanying two elderly women to the temple’s western gate when the verbal spat broke out.
Four police officers, including SI and two women officers, were on duty at the time. The video shows the SI blocking the councillor and the elderly women from entering the temple and allowing another group of women inside. When Unnikrishnan tried to enter, the SI was seen pushing him back. In the chaos, the councillor’s hand appears to have accidentally struck the forehead of the woman police officer standing nearby.
Unnikrishnan has alleged that the case was fabricated as part of a conspiracy. Meanwhile, the woman officer maintained that she was unsure whether the councillor hit her intentionally.