THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan assured the assembly on Monday that strict action will be taken against policemen involved if an ongoing inquiry establishes lapses on the part of the police in responding to a complaint of illegal sand extraction during night hours at Ambalathinkala near Kattakada in Thiruvananthapuram.
The sand mafia had killed a youth named Sangeeth using an earthmover on January 23 when he resisted illegal activity on his house premises. The CM was responding to a notice for adjournment motion to discuss the issue. The notice was given by M Vincent of the Congress party who demanded action against the policemen involved, a government job for Sangeeth’s wife and compensation not less than `25 lakh for his family.
Pinarayi admitted that preliminary information suggested that the policemen delayed in responding to a call from Sangeeth’s family for help when the sand mafia was engaged in mining. However, the Nedumangad DySP has been directed to inquire into the matter. “If any lapses on the part of the policemen are established in the inquiry, strict action will be taken against them,” he said. He also assured the House that the government will inquire into the Opposition’s charges that some retired policemen were interfering on behalf of sand mafia to settle their cases.