KANNUR: I am in hiding. I can’t tell you where I am,” Afsal Hussain said. “I am being followed by CITU goons of Mathamangalam. They assaulted me physically recently. I am worried about my life as they can do anything because the party and police are with them,” said the 29-year-old owner of AJ Securetech IT Solutions, Mathamangalam.
Afsal was forced to flee his home and take shelter in an undisclosed location after he committed the “crime” of buying materials from SR Associates run by Muhammad Rabeeh, who closed down his shop following harassment by CITU workers.
“I set up CCTV cameras in shops and Rabeeh had asked me to install one in his shop. Since then, we developed a cordial relationship and whenever I required hardware, I would go to his shop,” said Afsal.
However, on January 26, he was allegedly threatened by CITU workers for buying things from Rabeeh’s shop. On February 2, he was thrashed by CITU workers inside a petrol pump at Mathamangalam around 7pm. “They beat me for around 20 minutes. None of the people there interfered,” alleged Afsal, who then lodged a complaint with Payyannur police.
A few days later, he was stopped by CPM workers while returning from Peringome and asked to withdraw the complaint. “They asked me to call the police and withdraw my complaint. Fearing another attack, I did exactly that,” he said.
Still, CITU workers followed him everywhere he went. “On February 7, I was on my bike with my sister when CITU worker Ranjith came from the opposite direction and swung a sword at me. I was afraid he would kill me and rode my bike straight to the Pariyaram police station with my sister. I lodged a complaint and named Ranjith,” he said. Ranjith was taken into custody from the CPM Vilanakode office. “He was released without any charges in the evening,” Afsal said. He has closed down his shop.
Payyannur DySP K E Premachandran admitted that there had been some issues between Afsal and CITU workers. “If he is ready to open the shop, the police will give protection,” he said. However, he denied Afsal’s allegations that the police did not take any action. “We booked and arrested the CITU workers involved in the February 2 incident. As for the February 7 attack, the investigation is on. There are some variations in the statements of Afsal and his sister,” he said. Afsal said Mathamangalam is a place where they (CITU) rule. You can’t escape these goons,” he said. “I am worried about my mother Kunjamina, wife Suneera and sisters Sahala and Haseena. It is sad that one cannot run a business without the sanction of CPM and CITU,” he said.
