THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There was no conspiracy or external interference in the incidents that led to the disruption of Thrissur Pooram this year, an investigation report into the fiasco has said.
ADGP M R Ajith Kumar submitted the 1,600-page report to the Chief Minister’s Office late on Saturday, five months after a probe was ordered into the fiasco. Kumar, who is facing heat over the issue, blamed the local police for the chaos while giving himself the clean chit.
A senior police officer said the report stated there was no external interference or conspiracy behind the chaos at the Pooram. It mentioned that the ADGP left the spot after completing final inspections, and blamed the devaswoms for refusing to continue with the festival.
The report attributed the fiasco to a lapse in coordination by the local police, particularly then Thrissur city police commissioner Ankit Ashok. It also detailed the security measures taken by the police to manage the crowd according to the court instructions.
Meanwhile, the report has drawn flak for not mentioning IG Sethuraman and DIG Ajithabeegam, who were also present at the time of the incident. The opposition termed the document a farce, as it was prepared by an officer who is himself accused in the matter.
Senior officers were not informed when things escalated, says report
The report criticised Ashok for failing to grasp how the festival should be conducted despite being a Keralite and an officer with experience, and said though senior officers were appointed to assist, they were not informed even when things escalated and the commissioner did not engage with the public favourably.
The actions taken by the police on April 19, just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, had sparked controversy.
The situation escalated when the police blocked access to Swaraj Round on the night of April 21 under the guise of crowd control for the fireworks scheduled for 3am. This led to the disruption of the Thiruvambady Bhagavathy procession and panchavadyam performance, triggering public outrage and complaints of police overreach.
It was also alleged that the disruptions were politically motivated.
Meanwhile, the timing of the report has drawn attention too, as it has been submitted amid scrutiny following reports that the investigation was stalled. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had recently ordered that the report be submitted by September 24.
IUML calls for impartial probe
Malappuram: Expressing dissatisfaction with the police report on the Thrissur Pooram disruption issue, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Sunday urged the state government to conduct impartial investigations into the allegations. IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty said that his party rejects the conclusion that no external interference took place.
V S Sunil Kumar asserts conspiracy
Thrissur: Insisting that there was a conspiracy behind the incidents surrounding Thrissur Pooram, CPI leader V S Sunil Kumar expressed disagreement with the report submitted by ADGP M R Ajith Kumar. He pointed out that the Pooram’s traditions were compromised during calamities and other circumstances, and suggested that a conspiracy was hatched to create chaos associated with the event.