ASSEMBLY POLL '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTIONS '98
ARCHIVES

Marxists attack police in Kerala

Kerala Chief Minister E K Nayanar told the state assembly on Wednesday that 30 people were taken into custody in connection with the attack on Tiruvalla police station by some Marxist and Democratic Youth Federation of India activists.

Replying to an adjournment motion moved by Oommen Chandy of the Congress, Nayanar said the police have registered three cases in connection with the incident.

He said 10 policemen were injured by the stones the demonstrators threw. The police took immediate steps to bring the situation under control. There is no tension in the area now, he added.

Nayanar denied Chandy's allegation that the police had dropped three prominent Communist Party of India (Marxist) politicians from the list of accused. He said strong action would be taken against all involved, irrespective of political affiliations.

The chief minister called upon all parties to co-operate in putting an end to clashes between political activists.

He said the CPI-M and DYFI workers had taken out a march to the police station after a similar march by Congress workers. There were clashes between the Marxists and Congress workers at Puzhikeezh in Tiruvalla on January 21. The Congress had taken out the march in protest against the registration of cases against some of its workers.

In the light of the chief minister's reply, Speaker M Vijayakumar withheld consent to the motion.

Raising the issue, Chandy had pointed out that the attack on the police station was the 17th such incident, and the fourth in Pathanamthitta district, involving Marxist workers, in the last three years.

He said Marxist workers went on a rampage on Tuesday and destroyed five houses belonging to Congressmen. A 78-year-old woman was attacked and valuables looted, he charged.

Chandy alleged that CPI-M Tiruvalla taluk secretary Lopez, local committee secretary Karthikeyan, and a DYFI leader were dropped from the case on the chief minister's direction on Tuesday night.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report