THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: K-Rail resumed the laying of survey stones for the SilverLine after nearly a month on Thursday, triggering protests in the capital and Kannur. Protesters and police clashed at Kaniyapuram in Thiruvananthapuram, while residents blocked officials at Chala in Kannur, forcing authorities to halt the process.
The situation turned tense at Karichara near Kaniyapuram when a civil police officer kicked two protesting Congress workers with his boot. The incident drew widespread criticism following which Rural SP Divya V Gopinath ordered Special Branch DySP Stuart Keeler to probe the incident. Local residents and Congress workers gathered at Karichara in the morning.
When protesters attempted to uproot the stones, police intervened.In the ensuing melee, civil police officer Shabeer Ali kicked two Congress workers on their stomach and chest. K-Rail authorities soon left without laying more stones. The protesters alleged that the police attacked them without provocation.
Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, who rushed to the Njandoorkonam Public Health Centre to meet the injured protesters, warned of dire consequences. Congress state president K Sudhakaran urged the police to end their brutality.
“Police should think thrice before kicking protesters with boots. There will be dire consequences if the authorities don’t take action.This is my warning to the police,” said Satheesan. He said there was hardly any difference between the Delhi and Kerala police.
‘Won’t be long when people attack police’
“The chief minister should clarify whether such barbaric action is good or not,” said Satheesan. Sudhakaran said the police action against those protesting democratically was highly deplorable. Likening it to the recent police atrocity at Madappally in Kottayam where anti-SilverLine protesters, including women and children, were attacked, Sudhakaran said, “Who gave police the right to attack the people? It won’t be long when people start manhandling the police.” In Chala, protesters under the aegis of SilverLine Virudha Janakeeya Samithi blocked K-Rail officials who reached around 11am. The police stepped in and arrested around 30 agitators.
Probe ordered
Following criticism, Thiruvananthapuram Rural SP Divya V Gopinath orders Special Branch DYSP Stuart Keeler to probe the incident.