Penkal Otrumai leader G. Gomathy, who was on a hunger strike demanding justice for the Walayar parents here, was forcibly shifted to the hospital after her condition worsened on Wednesday.
The Police arrested the mother of the Walayar girls when she tried to prevent them from shifting Ms. Gomathy to the hospital. A few others were also arrested.
Ms. Gomathy has been on a hunger strike since February 5 near the stadium bus-stand here. The protesters were demanding action against M.J. Sojan, Crime Branch SP who was the police officer who investigated the sensational Walayar case.
The case, involving the death of two minor sisters in mysterious circumstances on different occasions at their house at Attappallam, near Walayar, in 2017, got national attention when a POCSO court here exonerated all the accused following the failure of the prosecution in proving their guilt.
The Walayar Action Forum has been leading an agitation demanding a reinvestigation and punitive action against the investigating officer.
The Police arrested 15 protesters, including former special prosecutor Jalaja Madhavan and Dalit Human Rights Movement leader Saleena Prakkanam, along with the mother of the Walayar girls.
They were released on bail at South Police Station. They later took out a march to the agitation venue They said they would resume the hunger strike from tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the action council accused the police of resorting to fascist behaviour. Instead of attempting to save the life of Ms. Gomathy, the police tried to derail the agitation, the council leaders said.
