
KOCHI: Dramatic scenes unfolded in front of Koothattukulam municipal office on Saturday as a CPM councillor was abducted and held captive for seven hours allegedly by members of her own party over suspicion of defection.
Councillor Kala Raju, representing Koothattukulam ward, who arrived at the municipal office to attend a discussion on the no-confidence motion moved against the LDF, was allegedly dragged and forcibly pushed into the car of the municipal chairperson and taken to CPM area committee office.
Kala Raju, who was dropped at her residence around 4.30 pm, told mediapersons that she was abducted by CPM men, who also assaulted her. “I was beaten up and taken to the CPM area committee office. They tried to tear my clothes and threatened to chop off my legs. I was forced to support the no-confidence motion as the party did not heed to the complaints I had raised four months ago,” Kala Raju told reporters.
The Koothattukulam police have registered a case against CPM area secretary P B Ratheesh, municipal chairperson Vijaya Sivan, vice-chairman Sunny Kuriakose, councillor Suma Viswambharan, CPM local secretary Febeesh George and 45 others on charges of abduction, wrongful restraint, physical assault and rioting based on a complaint filed by Kala’s son Balu and daughter Lakshmi.
The Opposition UDF had moved the no-confidence motion alleging corruption behind the construction of isolation ward at the Koothattukulam government hospital. The motion was scheduled to be taken up for discussion at 10am on Saturday.
‘We didn’t attack or abduct Kala Raju’
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Express News Service @ Kochi
The LDF has 13 councillors while the UDF has 11 members. An independent councillor also extended support to the UDF.
According to Opposition leader Prince Paul John, Kala Raju had informed the Congress leadership that she will support the no-confidence motion. “The 13 councillors supporting the motion arrived at the municipal office in three cars at 10.05 am on Saturday.
Meanwhile, around 50 CPM supporters had gathered in front of the office. When Kala Raju got down from the car, they allegedly pulled her by hair, pushed her into the chairperson’s car and drove away,” he said.
“The court had ordered protection to us, but the police stood mute witness to the abduction. Kala Raju was dragged her by hair and she suffered injuries to ears and lost her earrings. She was pushed into the car of the chairperson, while the area secretary yelled at supporters to kill her. She was brutally beaten up.
Kala Raju’s children emailed complaints to the DGP and the chief minister after which the police registered a case. Around 4pm, the CPM area secretary called Kala’s son Balu and asked him to take her from the area committee office. He insisted that the police should rescue her and conduct a medical examination test. She was later dropped at her house at 4.30pm,” Prince said.
Refuting allegations of abduction, vice-chairman Sunny Kuriakose said three women councillors of the LDF were injured in the attack. “We had decided to abstain from the no-confidence motion voting. When we arrived at the municipal office, the UDF councillors tried to stop us which led to a scuffle. Three of our women councillors – Vijaya Sivan, Ambika Rajendran and Suma Viswambaran – have been admitted to the hospital with injuries. We didn’t attack or abduct Kala Raju who is a CPM councillor,” he said.
Piravam MLA Anoop Jacob, Muvattupuzha MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan and the DCC president visited Kala Raju and shifted her to a hospital in Kochi after she complained of chest pain.