Thiruvananthapuram: Further escalating their standoff against opposition parties, police on Tuesday arrested Youth Congress state president Rahul Mamkuttathil from his residence near Adoor in connection with the violence that took place in front of the secretariat on December 20 during the Youth Congress agitation. have done.
The 34-year-old man was booked under non-bailable sections, including the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, and was later remanded to judicial custody for 14 days by the Judicial First Class Magistrate court in Thiruvananthapuram. The dramatic arrest after his house was surrounded in the early morning invited widespread protests, leading to protest marches across the state. Opposition leaders came forward unitedly to protest against the arrest.
Thiruvananthapuram Cantonment Police took Mamkutathil into custody early in the morning. He was taken to Thiruvananthapuram and arrested in connection with the Secretariat violence in which he was listed as the fourth accused. When he was produced in court, the prosecution strongly opposed his bail plea and alleged that he had attacked the police using wooden sticks.
According to the remand report, Mamkoothil had instigated party workers to attack the police. It said that standing behind the women activists, Mamkootathil and his associates attacked the police using wooden sticks. The prosecution said that Mamkootathil had planned the attacks and was detained secretly to avoid law and order problems.
Mamkuttathil’s lawyer argued that the arrest was politically motivated, adding that legal procedures were not followed while detaining him. The lawyer also argued that he is undergoing treatment for some neurological condition and hence he should be released on bail. The lawyer said that there were blood clots on his head and that he was likely to suffer a stroke if he was not given adequate treatment.
The prosecution countered saying that Mamkuttathil had been traveling extensively and a fresh medical examination should be conducted to assess his health. Following the court order in that regard, Mamkoottathil was subjected to a detailed medical examination at the General Hospital. Doctors certified that he had no serious medical problems and based on that the magistrate sent him to judicial custody.
While being brought to the hospital, Mamkootathil told reporters that the police had stooped to the level of CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s security guards. Later, while being taken to Poojappura jail, he alleged that Cantonment Inspector B M Shafi tried to intimidate him. Policemen tried to stop Mamkootathil from talking to the media. He was convicted as an accused under the charges of destroying public property, attacking police and obstructing their duty.
December 20 violence: looking back
The Secretariat march organized by the Youth Congress on December 20 culminated in a pitched street battle between its members and the police as the state capital virtually turned into a war zone. Several policemen and Youth Congress workers were injured. This march was organized in protest against the attacks on KSU and YC activists who opposed the Neo Kerala Sadas. The march was led by senior Congress leaders including opposition leader V D Satheesan. Satheesan has been charged as the first accused, while MLAs Shafi Parambil and M Vincent have been listed as the second and third accused respectively.
