As the BJP continued to target IPS officers, the Kerala Chapter of IPS Association sought the Chief Minister’s intervention “to keep up the morale of officials and the police department to discharge their duties professionally, impartially and effectively”.The Kerala unit of the BJP has locked horns with IPS officers over the police action against its leaders at Sabarimala temple, where party-backed protests have been going on against the Supreme Court verdict allowing entry to women of all ages.
State BJP president P S Sreedharan Pillai on Thursday moved a complaint with Department of Personnel and Training against IPS officer Yatish Chandra, alleging that he humiliated MoS for Finance and Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan.
When Radhakrishnan reached Nilakkal base station to proceed to the temple for darsan, Chandra had waylaid the minister’s vehicle on the grounds that private vehicles are not allowed to Pamba, another base station from where devotees start trekking to the shrine. In front of TV cameras, the IPS officer had an argument with the BJP minister over allowing vehicles to Pamba. As the visuals went viral, the BJP alleged that the IPS officer behaved rudely with the minister because he is dark-skinned.
Early Thursday, when Radhakrishnan was returning after the darsan, the police waylaid a vehicle part of his entourage at Pamba following a tip-off that a local BJP leader allegedly involved in last week’s violent protest at the temple was in that car. Hearing about the police action, Radhakrishnan had an argument with SP Hari Sankar over examining the vehicle in his entourage. Radhakrishnan left Pamba only after getting an examination report from Sankar, who was the special officer at Pamba.
BJP state general secretary A N Radhakrishnan said SP Chandra is a criminal. “He has a track record of addressing agitations through torture. Police under CPI(M) government have converted the temple into a war field. IG Vijay Sakhare, who is heading the police at the temple, has a criminal background. He was involved in a custodial death,” said Radhakrishnan.
On Thursday, BJP workers took out a protest march to the residence of Hari Sankar in the state capital. At the outset of the protests at Sabarimala, the BJP has been making allegations against police officers. After IG Manoj Abraham led the police action against agitators at Nilakkal on October 17, BJP leaders had stated that a Christian police officer was behind the attack on pilgrims.
As the BJP continued to target IPS officers, the Kerala Chapter of IPS Association sought the Chief Minister’s intervention “to keep up the morale of officials and the police department to discharge their duties professionally, impartially and effectively”. Association secretary P Prakash, the Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner, said they passed a resolution condemning the personal attacks and threats by certain individuals and organisations against IPS officers on duty at Sabarimala. “We also denounce the attack on officers on religious and personal lines.’’
Meanwhile, the police have been cracking down on BJP-RSS leaders who have led recent agitations at the shrine. Non-bailable charges were slapped on BJP state general secretary K Surendran on Thursday in connection with a case pertaining to the attack on a 52-year-old woman at the temple last week. Although Surendran was granted bail on Wednesday in another case at Sabarimala, the police prevented his release by recording his arrest in another case in Kannur. With Thursday’s case, which involves non-bailable offences, the police can further delay Surendran’s release from jail.
BJP leader M T Ramesh said there was a political conspiracy behind the police action against Surendran. The BJP will fight this unfair action, he said.
On Thursday, Pathanamthitta District Magistrate P B Nooh extended the prohibitory orders at Sabarimala and nearby base stations till November 26. The police have recommended that prohibitory orders remain in place till January 14.
