Cops deny nod to use loudspeakers

Kochi: Uncertainty loomed over the conduct of ‘Bob Marley: Paatum Porattavum’ (song and resistance), an event organized by Njattuvela Samskarika Pravarthaka Sangam after police denied permission to use loudspeakers at the event. The event commemorating the legendary Jamaican musician was set to be inaugurated by filmmaker Suveeran on Sunday.
Activists of the Njattuvela Cultural Forum on Saturday said they are going ahead with the programme with some modifications.
Organizers of the event said that eminent personalities, including Meena Kandasamy, K Satchidanandan, theatre personality P M Antony, writer Charu Nivedita and slain journalist Gouri Lankesh, had all taken part in the previous editions of the event organized at Fort Kochi beach annually since 2009.
“The reports were not in favour of conducting the programme. Hence, permission to use loudspeakers was denied,” said a senior officer with the City police, adding that usually a denial to such a request means that there is no permission to conduct the programme at all. tnn