MLAs injured in scuffle with police

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, FEB. 3. A dozen persons, including the Kerala Congress(J) leader, Mr. T.M. Jacob, MLA, and five policemen, were injured in a skirmish that took place when police blocked a UDF march to the Election Commission office at Palayam this morning.

Four other UDF MLAs, Mr. Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Mr. K.C. Venugopal, Mr. Johnny Nellore and Mr. C.F. Thomas, also suffered minor injuries in the scuffle.

The march, which was organised to demand a comprehensive revision of the voters' list for panchayat elections, was blocked by the police near the Public Library.

Senior UDF leaders, including the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. A.K. Antony, Mr. K.M. Mani, Mr. T.M. Jacob, Mr. G. Karthikeyan and Mr. K. Sankaranarayanan, were leading the rally.

UDF workers challenged the police blockade and tried to storm the barricade. Mr. Jacob was injured in the ensuing scuffle. He was immediately shifted to hospital.

The UDF workers then surged towards the Election Commission office, but they were again blocked at the entrance by a police posse. They squatted on the ground raising slogans.

The marchers then tried to proceed towards the LMS Junction, but were again thwarted by the police.

The MLAs and the five policemen, including the Cantonment Assistant Commissioner and the Museum Circle Inspector, were injured in the resulting skirmish. Meanwhile, a section of the UDF workers threw stones at the police who responded by wielding their lathis. The windscreen of Mr. Antony's car was damaged.

Even as Mr. Antony inaugurated the march, other UDF leaders, including Mr. Ooomen Chandy, Mr. Nalakath Sooppy and Mr. Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, staged a dharna demanding action against the police officials responsible for the incident. The sit-in was called off later on Mr. Antony's request.

The KPCC(I) president, Mr. Thennala Balakrishna Pillai, Mr. K.M. Mani, Mr. Johnny Nellore, Mr. E.T. Mohammed Basheer, Mr. R. Balakrishna Pillai and Mr. C.P. John also addressed the dharna.

The UDF leaders later proceeded to Mr. Anonty's residence for a meeting to discuss the issue.

Mr. Jacob was admitted to the intensive care unit at the Medical College Hospital.

Hospital sources said he was complaining of breathlessness.

While UDF sources alleged that the police had made an unprovoked lathicharge, police said the UDF had been issued permission to take out a march only up to 200 metres from the Election Commission office. They said the trouble had started when the UDF workers broke the police cordon and started throwing stones.

Five UDF workers were arrested. They were produced in court and remanded in custody.

Later, a KSRTC bus was damaged in stone throwing by a slogan- shouting group of people who were proceeding towards the Statue.

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