'Encroachment' of bund leads to tension

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, NOV. 20. Tension prevailed in Vazhayila under the Peroorkada police station limits in the wee hours of Tuesday with local residents opposing a private company's move to construct a compound wall after allegedly encroaching a bund.

The dispute over the construction of the compound wall had been simmering for the last six months. According to local residents, the company was trying to construct compound wall on one side of the one-and-a-half-acre plot belonging to it near Vazhayila junction after encroaching an eight-foot wide bund.

A large number of people who were mobilised by the company, started digging the bund at around 3 a.m. today using earthmovers in the face of opposition from those staying in the locality. The locals were allegedly intimidated by the company's workers, who also stoned the houses in the vicinity.

In the melee that followed, Amulu (12), daughter of an autodriver, Mr. Babu, who stays in the locality, was injured and had to be rushed to hospital. The Vattiyorkavu Panchayat member, Mr. Ajayakumar, was manhandled and received minor injuries.

The City Police Commissioner, Mr. Rajan Singh, with a heavy police force reached the site and on his directive, the locals filled the foundation dug up along the bund for constructing the compound wall. A police picket has been posted in the locality.

Later, Mr. Singh convened a meeting with representatives of the company, panchayat authorities, political parties and local residents at his office. It was decided that the Assistant Commissioner of Police would call a meeting of all concerned at the Peroorkada Police Station to settle the issue again on Wednesday.

The Peroorkada police have registered a case against 10 persons for unlawful gathering, stocking unlawful arms, causing simple hurt and for threatening residents. Seven of the accused--Jacob, Prabhakaran, Thankachan, Mohanan Nair, Vasundharan, Binu, Madhusudhanan Pillai--were produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate-III and released on bail.

When contacted, a spokesman of the company said they had started work in the plot three days ago using their men and machinery. He claimed that the company had obtained permission from the panchayat for the construction and accused the owner of a neighbouring plot of fomenting trouble.

Mr. K. Sreekumar, who represents Thuruthumoola in the panchayat, said the permit given by the Panchayat Secretary for constructing the compound wall had been cancelled.

Meanwhile, the Thuruthummoola branch committee of the CPI, in a release, said the party would launch an agitation against the company for what he called its "anti-people activities."

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Section  : Southern States
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