By Express News Service
KOCHI: The police have arrested 301 persons, who belong to the RSS, BJP and Antar Rashtriya Hindu Parishad (AHP), in the district in connection with the cases registered with the protests against the entry of women in Sabarimala. Officers said 226 persons were arrested from the Kochi City Police limits while the rest were picked up from the jurisdictions under Ernakulam Rural Police. The sleuths have launched a massive manhunt to nab protesters who resorted to violence.
The case includes the violence erupted in connection with the hartal called on October 18 under the banner of Sabarimala Samrakshana Samiti in the state. Many persons were arrested on charges of blocking the roads during the Namajapa procession.
Four persons were arrested in North Paravur for blocking the motorcade of the Vigilance Commissioner. Two persons were arrested from Tripunithura in connection with the violence that broke out in Nilakkal area. Officers said Govind Madusoodhanan and Harikumar of Janaki Mandiram were the arrested. According to the officers, the duo was involved in blocking vehicles in Nilakkal and attempted to assault women devotees. Besides, the arrested were involved in attacking the police personnel deployed on duty there.
The duo was handed over to the Pathanamthitta police. According to the officers, more arrests will be made soon and they have asked the public to send information about the culprits.The Sabarimala shrine, which opened on October 17 after the apx court verdict, witnessed violent protests for consecutive six days as not a single woman was allowed to enter the temple.
18 remanded in Nilakkal
Pathanamthitta: Eighteen persons were remanded to judicial custody for 14 days in connection with violence erupted in Nilakkal, Elavunkal and Plappally on October 17 during the agitation against the Supreme Court order. The police registered cases against 310 persons — 200 from Nilakkal and 110 from Elavunkal and Plappally — for the alleged violent incidents. The remanded persons include Shailesh S Pillai, 28, from Kulanada, Anandu Kurup, 31, from Edappally, Aswath Raj, 19, from Kulanada, Abhilash Raj, 36, from Kulanda, Achu, 23, from Manimala in Kottayam, Vinod, 39, from Pandalam, Jayaraj, 33, from Pathanamthitta, Baburaj, 39, from Seethathode, Adit Chandran, 23, from Vettachira, Somasekharan, 31, from Pandalam, Bineesh, 21, from Angamoozhi, Shaji, 45, from Seethathode, Rahul, 30, from Kadapattoor, Suresh, 36, and brother Vaisakh, 24, from Cherpulassry, Harikumar, 38, and Govind Madhusudan, 35, from Tripunithura. Police imposed 18 charges on them, including non-bailable offence for destruction of public property, possession of arms and attacking policemen.
