IDUKKI: The Munnar police on Wednesday registered a non-bailable case against Devikulam MLA S Rajendran for breaking into the Munnar Special Tribunal Court and destroying files and other equipment kept inside the office the other day.
Munnar Special Tahsildar P K Shaji, who accompanied Rajendran to the tribunal court along with party activists, college authorities and students, has been named the second accused.Besides, cases have been registered against 50 people, who are yet to be identified by the police. The action was taken based on a complaint filed by the court staff to the High Court, the Home Secretary and the Munnar police.
Based on the Home Secretary’s instruction, Devikulam Sub-Collector V R Premkumar has submitted a detailed report to District Collector K Jeevan Babu on the incidents that took place at the tribunal court on Tuesday.
It was on Tuesday that Rajendran, along with party activists, encroached into the office and tried to forcibly accommodate the students of Government Arts College, Munnar, there. The arts college building was destroyed in a landslide in August. On Monday, the students had taken out a protest on the national highway against the negligence of the authorities in providing an alternative facility even after a month has elapsed since the building got destroyed.
Following this, Rajendran, accompanied by party activists trespassed into the Munnar Special Tribunal office on Tuesday and destroyed files and furniture, apart from attacking the employees there.
P T Thomas demands probe
T’Puram: P T Thomas MLA has demanded a detailed investigation into the incident where Devikulam MLA S Rajendran and the Devikulam tahsildar P K Shaji allegedly broke into the Munnar tribunal office and assaulted the staff. Talking to reporters here, Thomas said the government should investigate whether land-related files were destroyed or taken from the office. “Using the floods as a screen, the land mafia is tightening its grip on Munnar,” he said.