THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state police have set up an investigating team under Thiruvananthapuram Range IG Manoj Abraham to probe into the threats made by a suspected group of right wing activists on a TV journalist. The investigation was handed over to Manoj Abraham following the directive from Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Tuesday. Sindhu Suryakumar of Asianet News had received over 1,500 calls and a barrage of messages on social media, verbally abusing and threatening her after she made a remark on Goddess Durga in a TV debate last Friday.
On Sunday, Sindhu filed a complaint before the city police commissioner G Sparjan Kumar, who directed the Cantonment police to register a case against the group. Cantonment CI Ujjwal Kumar is investigating the case. The police have already arrested five people in connection with the case, including one Rarish, 20 of Bharathannnur, Nedumangad. He was arrested by Cantonment police. The other four were identified as Vikas, 31, Vibhash,25, Shijin, 28, all natives of Kannur and Ramdas, 57, of Thrissur.
The police said that more arrests would follow as the prime suspect was still at large. On Tuesday, Sindhu along with other women journalists called on the Home Minister and State Police Chief T P Senkumar seeking stern action against the culprits. The minister assured the media that the culprits would be brought to book. He said digital evidence and phone call records will be used to nab more persons. Some BJP workers obstructed the mediapersons from taking the visuals of the accused, who were arrested in Kannur on Tuesday.