Thiruvananthapuram/Kottayam: Five police personnel, including the former gunman of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, were suspended on Tuesday in connection with the assault on activists of the Kerala Students Union (KSU) and Youth Congress during the Nava Kerala Yatra in Alappuzha in December 2023. The suspension orders were issued from the state police headquarters.
Details of the Suspension
Those suspended are Anil Kumar, who served as Vijayan's gunman for nearly 25 years, and escort team members Sandeep P, Arun, Vipin, and Shaiju. The action follows a report submitted by a special investigation team (SIT) led by Alappuzha Superintendent of Police Shoukathali after a re-probe into the incident.
SIT Report Findings
The SIT report stated that the situation did not warrant the intervention of the gunmen to deal with the protesters. It reportedly termed the assault a criminal act and recommended that charges, including attempt to murder, be invoked against the accused personnel.
Incident Background
The incident occurred on the evening of December 5, 2023, near the Alappuzha General Hospital Junction. KSU district president A D Thomas and Youth Congress state secretary Ajay Juel Kuriakose staged a protest in front of the Nava Kerala Yatra bus carrying the chief minister and his fellow cabinet members. According to the SIT report, the gunman and members of the escort team jumped out of the chief minister's escort vehicle and assaulted the protesters. Thomas was elected from the Alappuzha constituency in the recently held assembly elections.
Court Rejects Bail Plea
On Tuesday, the Alappuzha district sessions court rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Anil Kumar and P Sandeep. Judge Honey M Varghese dismissed the petition, noting that no non-bailable charges were invoked against the accused and that the situation did not demand denial of bail. The court also accepted the request to implead Thomas and Kuriakose as parties in the case.
Court Proceedings
During the hearing, the court criticized both the prosecution and the SIT for delaying the submission of a report in response to the anticipatory bail application, which was filed on May 22. When the matter first came up on Tuesday morning, the public prosecutor sought more time to file the police report, but the court proceeded to hear the petitioners' counsel. Lawyer B Shivadas argued that the petitioners merely carried out VVIP duty and that, if they had not acted, even the chief minister's life could have been at risk. Youth Congress counsel P Roy opposed this, stating that the attack occurred after the Nava Kerala Sadas bus passed by and that it was a deliberate assault. The court later asked which sections were invoked against the accused, and the lawyers informed that they were bailable provisions. The court again demanded the report and sharply reprimanded the investigation team for not producing it, summoning an officer from the team and directing that the report be submitted when the case was taken up again. When the matter was heard post-lunch, the bail plea was dismissed.
Chief Minister's Statement
Chief Minister V D Satheesan said in New Delhi that further action would be based on the SIT's findings and clarified that the process was not politically motivated. He said the inquiry report related to alleged intervention by ADGP Ajith Kumar would be examined, and an appropriate decision would be taken.
