Two held for online slandering against IG

Thiruvananthapuram: Museum police arrested two men in connection with the case pertaining to online slandering against IG (Thiruvananthapuram) Manoj Abraham following the conflict at Sabarimala. The police identified the accused as K L Rajesh (43) and Govind Thampi, (44) both residents of Karikkakom here and active workers of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh.
Police cases have been registered against as many 12 people a week ago for abusing the IG on social media and posting derogatory and slanderous messages. The online attack was launched against the IG after he led the police action on protesters at Nilackal against entry of women of fertile age to Sabarimala on October 17. At first, he had led the cops to clear the make-shift tent erected by Sabarimala Achara Samrakshana Samithi members during the early hours of the day and then led the lathicharge after the protesters turned in the afternoon.

Abraham was in charge of law and order duty at Nilackal as Pathanamthitta district comes under Thiruvananthapuram police range. However, the protesters alleged that he was there with a hidden agenda. BJP state general secretary Sobha Surendran, who turned up at Nilackal to address the protesters, had alleged that he was at Nilackal to do chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s bidding of thrashing the protesters.

On Monday, Vizhinjam police had arrested two men from Venganoor on similar charges.

Police said that the two accused were charged with sections 294(b) and 506 of IPC and section 43 r/w 66 of IT Act. They were granted bail and let off after recording the arrest.