Date:16/10/2004 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/10/16/stories/2004101600961700.htm

Back HC orders police protection to Kovalam Hotel

K.C.Gopakumar

Kochi , Oct. 15

A DIVISION Bench of the Kerala High Court on Friday directed the police to see that that there was "free ingress and egress" for staff of the Kovalam Hotel, its customers and clients.

The Bench comprising Mr Justice M. Ramachandran and Mr Justice K. Hema issued the interim order on a writ petition filed by Kovalam Hotels Ltd.

The Judges also ordered that no obstruction be caused to the movement of transport vehicles into the hotel compound, which was necessary for the day-to-day functioning of the hotel. The petitioner pointed out that the Kovalam Palace Protection Council Chairman, Mr V. Gangadharan Nadar, and his supporters had announced that they would launch agitations in front of the hotel on October 17. If they conducted any agitation before the hotel, it would cause extreme inconvenience to the customers and would affect their business.

Though it was published widely in the newspapers and the petitioner had filed a complaint with the police, no protection had been ordered. The police told them that they would be able to give protection only if the court passed any orders.