Thiruvananthapuram: Youth Congress vice president Abin Varkey was brutally thrashed by the police in front of the Kerala secretariat on Thursday during a protest seeking Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s resignation.
Youth Congress workers were protesting across Kerala and in the state capital to press for CM Vijayan’s resignation over allegations of phone tapping and gold smuggling against an Additional Director General of Police (ADGP).
It was during this protest that Abin Varkey was beaten by a Sub Inspector (SI) and a few other policemen.
“This particular SI, Jiju is a fellow traveler of the youth wing of the CPI(M). It was he who singled me out and hit me. You can check social media posts where he can be spotted in the company of leading youth wing leaders of the CPI(M). If the police think they can end our protests by using force, they are mistaken. I will not go to hospital unless he is removed from here,” said Varkey.
The Youth Congress is demanding the resignation of CM Vijayan after a Left-supported independent legislator PV Anvar alleged that ADGP incharge of Law and Order, Ajith Kumar was indulging in shady deals which include tapping of phones of politicians and gold smuggling.
PV Anvar equated the ADGP to a notorious “criminal” who has “modeled” himself like fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim.
Anvar also slammed the political secretary to Vijayan, P Sasi for giving all support to Ajith Kumar.
Incidentally the Youth Congress’ protests across the state went off peacefully, but in the state capital things went out of hand.
For an hour it was a free-for-all between the protesters and the police, and the cops used water cannons seven times.
After that Varkey was badly mauled by the police and despite suffering serious injuries with blood streaming down his face, the youth leader was adamant that he would not seek medical treatment unless the erring official was removed.
Hearing about the brutal attack on Youth Congress workers and leaders, Kerala Congress President K Sudhakaran arrived at the state secretariat.
“It was Varkey who gave the first complaint and he has been targeted. The Congress party will now take over this protest and wish to remind all that we will take on those erring police officials on a personal level,” said an angry Sudhakaran.
Later Sudhakaran ensured Varkey was moved to the hospital and left the venue.
On Friday the Congress party will stage a secretariat march demanding the resignation of Vijayan, who they accuse of shielding Ajith Kumar as the cop allegedly has a storehouse of secrets pertaining to the CM.
Senior Congress leader and UDF Convenor MM Hassan said if Anvar needs any support, the Congress party will be there with him.
–IANS
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