Assault during Nava Kerala Yatra: SIT names five cops as accused

Kottayam: The special investigation team (SIT) probing the alleged assault on Youth Congress and KSU workers during the Nava Kerala Yatra in 2023, has listed five police personnel, including the gunmen of the former chief minister, as accused in the case.

The findings also indicate that there was a serious lapse in the initial investigation. A report has been submitted to the Alappuzha first class judicial magistrate court naming the five police personnel as accused in the incident on Saturday. The report was submitted naming the chief minister’s gunman Anilkumar, security personnel S Sandeep, and police personnel Arun, Vipin and Shaiju, who escorted the chief minister’s vehicle, as accused. Earlier, the case was against only two gunmen. The report was submitted to the court based on the statements recorded so far and video footage. However, charges are yet to be framed against the guilty.

It is learned that the report also contains a recommendation that unlawful conduct occurred on the part of the security personnel and that departmental action must be taken against them.

Meanwhile, Anilkumar and Sandeep, the first and second accused in the case, filed anticipatory bail applications in the Alappuzha sessions court. The bail application will be considered on Tuesday.

The SIT found that the former CM’s security personnel rushed in, surrounded and assaulted the protesting workers in front of the local police who were on security duty at Hospital Junction in Alappuzha. The SIT found that assaulting the workers by bypassing the police personnel was disrespectful to the police on security duty and was against the established procedures.

Based on the report, action, including suspension, will be taken against the guilty police personnel. The report will be submitted to the state police chief. The home department will take departmental action on this.

The decision to reinvestigate the case was taken at the first cabinet meeting after the UDF govt came to power. For this purpose, the investigation was expedited by appointing an SIT under the leadership of Alappuzha crime branch SP A P Shaukkathali. The team recorded statements from witnesses and victims and also examined in detail the results of scientific examination of evidence. The statements of Alappuzha MLA A D Thomas, who was seriously injured in the attack, and Youth Congress state general secretary Ajay Juvel Kuriakose were recorded on Saturday. The statement of news channel cameraman Jojimon, who captured the visuals of the attack, was recorded the previous day. Along with this, information was collected from the crime branch officials who initially investigated the case. Following this, the SIT found that a high-level police conspiracy took place to sabotage the case.