THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Pushing the envelope further in its standoff against Opposition parties, the police on Tuesday arrested Youth Congress state president Rahul Mamkootathil from his residence near Adoor in connection with the violence that happened in front of the Secretariat on December 20 during a Youth Congress agitation.
The 34-year-old was booked under non-bailable sections including the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, and was later remanded to judicial custody for 14 days by the Judicial First-Class Magistrate Court in Thiruvananthapuram. The dramatic manner of the early morning arrest, after surrounding his house, invited widespread opposition leading to protest marches across the state. Opposition leaders came out en masse against the arrest.
Mamkootathil was taken into custody by the Thiruvananthapuram Cantonment police in a swoop down at dawn. He was taken to Thiruvananthapuram and the arrest recorded in connection with the secretariat violence in which he was listed the fourth accused. When he was produced before the court, the prosecution opposed his bail plea vehemently and alleged that he had attacked the police using wooden logs.
According to the remand report, Mamkootathil had goaded party workers to unleash an attack against the cops. Standing behind women workers, Mamkootathil and his colleagues attacked cops using wooden logs, it said. The prosecution said Mamkootathil had masterminded the attacks and he was taken into custody secretly to avoid law and order issues.
Mamkootathil’s counsel that argued the arrest was politically-motivated, with legal procedures not followed while being taken into custody. The counsel also argued that he has been undergoing treatment for some neurological condition and hence should be released on bail. He had blood clots on his head and there was a possibility of his suffering a stroke if adequate treatment was not provided, the counsel said.
The prosecution countered by saying that Mamkootathil had been travelling extensively and a fresh medical examination should be done to assess his health. Following a court order in that regard, Mamkootathil was subjected to a detailed medical examination at the General Hospital. The doctors certified that he had no serious medical issues, and on the basis of that, the magistrate remanded him to judicial custody.
While being brought to the hospital, Mamkootathil told reporters the cops have stooped to the level of CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s security guards. Later, while being taken to the Poojappura prison, he alleged that Cantonment Inspector B M Shafi tried to intimidate him. The policemen tried to prevent Mamkootathil from talking to the media. He was arraigned as an accused under the charges of destruction of public property, attacking cops and obstructing their duty.
December 20 violence: A look back
The secretariat march organised by the Youth Congress on December 20 had culminated in a pitched street fight between its members and the police as the state capital virtually turned into a combat zone. Several policemen and Youth Congress workers sustained injuries. The march was organised in protest against the attacks on KSU and YC workers who had raised opposition to the Nava Kerala Sadas. The march was led by senior Congress leaders including Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan. Satheesan has been arraigned as the first accused, while Shafi Parambil, MLA, and M Vincent have been listed as the second and third accused, respectively.