THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Tension prevailed in and around the corporation office on Wednesday after a protest march by Mahila Morcha activists turned violent. Despite high police security, protesters barged into the office premises which resulted in a scuffle with the police. The activists took out the march around 11.30am demanding the resignation of Mayor S Arya Rajendran in connection with the letter purportedly written and sent by her to the CPM district secretary Anavoor Nagappan, seeking a priority list from the party to appoint contract staff to 295 vacancies in the corporation.
The activists who reached the corporation office tried to push police barricades. While the police managed to block them, a few climbed atop the barricade and waved party flags. Later, the police had to use water cannons three times to disperse the protesters. However, they remained there and a few workers managed to barge into the office premises. The women police, who were in charge of security, had a tough time removing them. Finally, police had to resort to lathi-charge.
The Museum police arrested Mahila Morcha workers and have registered a case against them. According to a police officer, the protesters were booked under Sections 143, 147, 148, 149, 188, 283 and 332 of the Indian Penal Code, which pertain to various offences such as unlawful assembly, rioting, and voluntarily causing harm to deter public servants from performing their duties.
UDF leaders and councillors also continued their second day of protest in front of the corporation office. Opposition leader V D Satheesan inaugurated the protest. He alleged that the crime branch probe is a farce and truth will not come out of the investigation.
Meanwhile, BJP councillors staged a protest in front of the corporation office inside the premises. They tried to lay siege in front of the Mayor’s office but police prevented them from entering her office. Mayor, however, reached the office around 9am with police protection. The office’s day-to-day functioning was not affected.
Crime branch unlikely to register FIR
The crime branch team that took over the probe has yet to register a case, even after recording the statement from the Mayor on Tuesday. Sources said the crime branch is unlikely to register an FIR as they were only told to submit a report based on a preliminary probe. The officers have not even visited the corporation office so far, where the crime allegedly took place. As per the proceedings, the crime branch needs to register an FIR first before starting the probe officially. Here, a team has only been constituted, and police have only been told to submit a report to the DGP after collecting details. They will also inspect the office and take the computer for forensic examination.
On Monday, the state police ordered a crime branch investigation on the complaint of the mayor. Denying any wrongdoing on her part, the Mayor on Sunday called on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at his official residence and handed over a complaint seeking a comprehensive probe into the letter row. State Police Chief Anil Kant was also present at the residence, and he was directed to initiate an investigation.
