KOCHI: It was a lucky escape for a Kerala High Court-appointed amicus curiae after he was attacked by a street vendor with a machete. The incident took place on Stadium Link Road where K P Pradeep, along with members of the enforcement squad appointed by the Ernakulam district collector and Kochi corporation health officials, was evicting a tender coconut vendor who was operating without a licence on Tuesday evening.
Palarivattom police registered a case based on a complaint filed by Pradeep and arrested the accused. The team reached the location where several vendors operate around 6 pm. “Eloor-resident Ramu had been issued an eviction notice by the corporation’s junior health inspector. The 48-year-old, however, refused to budge. And when officials tried to confiscate his coconut, he started shouting at them,” a police officer said.
Sensing the seriousness of the situation, Pradeep took out his mobile phone to contact the police. “This infuriated the accused further and he pulled out a machete used for cutting the coconut and waved it at Pradeep, who stepped back to evade the attack,” the officer said.
Police registered a case for an attempt to commit culpable homicide under section 308 and assaulting and deterring public servants from discharging their duty under section 353 of the IPC. Pradeep was appointed amicus curiae in 2019 when a writ petition pertaining to the issue of street vendors came up before the HC.
Pradeep had filed a report with the court in 2020 on how the lockdown had impacted street vendors and how they were not part of government welfare schemes. He had recommended that they be paid a relief of Rs 1,000 every month during the period.