MALAPPURAM: Nilambur MLA P V Anvar was arrested on Sunday night in connection with the vandalism at the North Divisional Forest Office (DFO) in Nilambur during a protest earlier in the day. Besides Anvar, who is the prime accused, 10 others have been booked by the Nilambur police. They face charges of destroying public property, using criminal force against public servants, among other related offences.
Later, Anwar and four others were produced before a magistrate who remanded them to judicial custody for 14 days. Following this, the MLA was shifted to the Tavanur jail.
On Sunday morning, around 40 people, led by Anvar, staged a protest at the divisional forest office over the death of Mani, 37, of Cholanaikkan community, in a wild elephant attack the previous day.
According to police, while the protest was going on, a group of 10 persons forcibly entered the DFO office, destroyed furniture and other items, and pushed police officers down.
Anvar was taken into custody from his residence in Othayi, Edavanna, around 10 pm by a team of police officers led by Nilambur DySP Balachandran G.
Before his arrest, a battalion of police personnel arrived in Othayi around 9pm to preempt resistance from Anvar and his supporters. However, Anvar complied with the legal procedures for his arrest. Before accepting the arrest memo, Anvar termed his arrest an “act of oppression by the state government”.
Congress leaders condemn MLA Anvar’s arrest
“I was expelled from the CPM for exposing the criminal activities of police. Now they are arresting me for protesting against the government, which is responsible for the death of a tribal person. I will fight back when I return from jail,” Anvar said.
After being taken into custody, Anvar was escorted by the police to Nilambur District Hospital for medical examination. Once his medical fitness was confirmed, he was presented before the magistrate in Nilambur and remanded. Before being taken to jail, Anvar said he would file a bail application in court on Monday.
Anvar had been leading a rally in the Wayanad parliamentary constituency to protest the state government’s proposed Kerala Forest (Amendment) Bill. The rally was scheduled to conclude on Sunday. However, following the death of the tribal man, Anvar temporarily halted the rally and organised the protest at the DFO office compound.
Police have charged the accused under BNS Sections 189(2), 329(3), 3329(c), 132, 121, 190, 191(2), and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984, Section 3(1).
Meanwhile, Congress leaders condemned the arrest of the MLA, alleging a high-level political conspiracy behind the action.
State Congress president K Sudhakaran said the arrest was politically motivated. “What political circumstances necessitated creating a terror-like atmosphere by surrounding Anvar’s house and arresting him in a case related to the destruction of public property? He is a public figure and an MLA, not a criminal. The police showed undue haste in carrying out the arrest,” he added.
Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala also expressed strong opposition to the arrest. “A case related to the destruction of public property is not a serious issue that warrants surrounding his house at night to detain him,” Chennithala said.