KOZHIKODE: Jyotsana Siby, who was allegedly attacked by CPM members about two months ago, has made fresh allegations that she and her family are being threatened by party members. The woman and her family have left their home - which was the root of the conflict - following the threats and are presently living in a rented house at Thamarassery since April 1.
On January 28, Jyotsana who was four-months pregnant was attacked allegedly by CPM members. She lost her baby in the incident when one among the perpetrators kicked her in the stomach. She was later spotted in the news for staging a dharna at Kodenchery police station demanding justice. The police who drew flak in the incident later arrested seven persons, including the former Velamcode CPM branch secretary Thampy Thettayil, in connection with the incident.
The issue started when Jyotsana and her family moved to Velamcode after buying a property there. Ever since then, there was a land dispute between Jyotsana’s family and their neighbour Prajeesh, who is now the prime accused in the case. The strained relationship between both the families became worse when Prajeesh was forced to demolish his boundary wall after the surveyor had asked him to do so.
Jyotsana on Monday told Express that she and her family were continually threatened by the accused in the case. “All accused in the incident were sent on bail after 22 days. Since then, they have threatened my husband and me. Prajeesh, who is our neighbour, used to abuse us daily,” she said. “We have now left our property in Velamcode. We cannot stay there anymore. My husband has not gone for work since the incident in January,” said Jyotsana.
She said the CPM members have sent a mass petition signed by their locals to the Chief Minister, State Police Chief and Kozhikode Rural police chief, citing Siby Chacko, her husband, is a troublemaker. “The mass petition requests authorities to initiate action against my husband. He is no troublemaker. They obtained signatures from locals on the petition saying it was about water shortage in the area,” she said.Jyotsana also alleged that Thampy offered them a price of Rs 65,000 to withdraw the complaint in his name. “When we rejected the office, party members lodged two cases against my husband with Vatakara and Kodenchery police stations.
The complaint was lodged in the name of a handicapped woman, who was our neighbour at Velamcode,” she said. Apart from this, the party members are not even allowing them to sell their property, she alleged. “We are done with this. We want peace. We have decided to sell our property and leave this place. They are not even allowing this. They are threatening the buyers. It was after all this, we have fled from the place and sought refuge in a rented house in Thamarassery,” she said.District Police Chief - Kozhikode Rural M K Pushkaran said he had directed the Kodenchery police to look into the issue. “ Siby had met me and shared his woes. I had then asked the Kodenchery police to look into the case seriously. I will see the case is investigated properly,” he said.
On the other hand, Thampy said he has no role in it. “I don’t understand why this woman and her family are targeting me. I admit that I was there on the night when she was attacked. But I didn’t go there to attack them. I was trying to solve the issue being a responsible party member. But in the end, I was sent to jail for 22 days. I haven’t even seen them after the incident. I deny the entire allegation raised against me,” he said. Thampy said he had resigned from his party posts and is no longer a party member. He said he is a tapping labourer and the issue has affected his family and him very much.“I am not even able to go out of my house. I have two children. If things get worse, we will be forced to commit suicide,” he said.
Woman attacked
On January 28, Jyotsana who was four months pregnant was attacked allegedly by CPM activists.
She lost her baby in the incident when one among the perpetrators kicked her in the stomach.