CM’s silence evokes doubt: Chennithala

Thiruvananthapuram: Silence of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the controversy related to the encounter between police and Maoists at Vythiri in Wayanad evokes doubts, leader of the opposition Ramesh Chennithala said.
“There are several speculations and doubts spreading about the incident, and an impartial probe is required for bringing out the truth,” he said. “What was seen at Vythiri is a beginning of the practice of Maoists extorting money, like in states like Chhattisgarh, which is a dangerous trend. But killing them in the name of such cases are not acceptable,” he said.

Chennithala said that while the UDF was in power, several Maoist leaders could be nabbed, but the police are unable to do so now. “The present style of the police is either no action or atrocity,” he said, adding that the murder of Kevin in Kottayam and the double murder in Periye in Kasaragod points towards the inefficiency of the police.

“By appointing an officer who is accused in a murder case as city police commissioner (A V George as Kozhikode city police commissioner), the government has proved that it is trying to protect the interests of the party, and not the public,” Chennithala said.

Meanwhile, CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said facts need to come out regarding Vythiri killing. “Government has ordered a magisterial probe. Let it be complete,” he said, when asked about allegations of encounter killing.