Kerala: Three Navy officers held for attacking cops

Three Naval personnel, including a Lt Commander, were arrested by the Kerala police on Thursday night for allegedly attacking the Harbour police station following a clash with the local police.

According to police, the three arrested personnel were identified as Lt Cdr Rahul Jyothi (29), Sub-Lt Deepak (28) and Prasanna Kumar (22).

Window panes and the car of a sub-inspector at the police station were damaged in the attack, which took place at 2300 hrs.

The trouble was sparked off earlier in the night, at 2100 hrs, when three other Navy personnel parked their motorcycles on the Sastha Temple Road near the Harbour police station, blocking the traffic, police added.

The forcible removal of the motorcyles by the police was objected by the three personnel identified as Lt Cdr Kohli, Vijay Sharma and Amar Singh. Following a heated exchange, the three were taken into custody by the police and were released only after the intervention of senior Naval officials.

However, around 2300 hrs, about 100 people on almost 50 motorcycles came to the police station and indulged in stone pelting. Three of them were arrested while fleeing after the 'attack', police said.

A case had been registered against the Naval personnel. The arrested personnel would be produced before the court today, police said.