THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The day-to-day functioning of the city corporation was disrupted on Friday morning after Yuva Morcha activists laid siege to the office demanding the resignation of Mayor Arya Rajendran in connection with the letter row.
Activists led by BJP district president and councillor V V Rajesh started the protest around 8am by blocking two main gates on the front side and the third one on the rear near University Hostel. Many people who came to the corporation office for various day-to-day requirements had to bear the brunt and return disappointed.Tension prevailed when some of the corporation staff engaged in a minor scuffle with the protesters around 10am in front of the rear gate after the former demanded to open it. However, the police stationed at the spot managed to bring the situation under control and shifted the protesters to the police vehicle. Later, the police opened the gate for the staff and public. The sit-in protest in front of the two gates ended around 11.30pm. The Museum police registered a case against the protesters.
Meanwhile, UDF councillor and parliamentary party leader P Padmakumar filed a complaint with city police commissioner G Sparjan Kumar alleging that deputy mayor P K Raju misbehaved with women councillors of the UDF when they protested. The complaint also alleged that the deputy mayor had verbally abused them. The complaint said that the deputy mayor insulted women when the protest was going on around 10.45am.
UDF protest in front of the corporation was inaugurated by former opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala. UDF leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan also came to the protest venue expressing solidarity to the protest. The KSU also took out a protest march demanding the mayor’s resignation. KSU activists gathered in front of the corporation office around 12.30pm. The protest was blocked by police using barricades near the corporation office. However, the protesters attempted to jump the barricade and push them down. Soon, the police used water cannon and hurled tear gas shells to disperse the protesters.
While most of the activists fled from the spot, some continued with their attempts to remove the barricade. Later, the police resorted to lathicharge to disburse the protesters. The agitation ended as the police managed to disperse the crowd. The Museum police have registered a case against 10 activists. They have been booked under Sections 143, 147, 148, 149, 188, 283 and 332 of the Indian Penal Code.
CRIME BRANCH RECORDS STATEMENT OF STAFF
The crime branch probing the complaint of the mayor in the letter controversy has recorded statements of a few more employees of the city corporation. On Thursday, the crime branch recorded the mayor’s statement again and registered an FIR on Monday to conduct a detailed investigation.