Date:09/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/10/09/stories/2007100962141000.htm

Kerala

Minister promises action against those who attacked pregnant woman

Staff Reporter

Kozhikode: Kerala Minister for Home and Vigilance Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said on Monday that stringent action would be initiated against those involved in the attack on a pregnant woman and her two children hailing from Karnataka.

The incident took place at Edappal in Malappuram district on Sunday .

Speaking at the inauguration of the Vellyail police station here, Mr. Balakrishnan said it could be true that the woman might have been involved in a petty crime. But the public were not authorised to take the law into their hands.

“There is a system in the land. If the public decide to take the law into their hands, it will be the collapse of the system,” Mr. Balakrishnan said.

He said the State government viewed the incident as a serious issue.

A Bihar model of the public taking the law into its hands and lynching the culprits involved in an incident would not be allowed in the State.

The government would take steps to ensure that such incidents did not occur in future. He said five persons had been taken into custody.

Replying to questions, Mr. Balakrishnan said the hawala operations in the State could not be stopped overnight.

In fact, a Centre law acted in favour of the hawala operators. Some amendments should be made to the existing law.

The Minister said that as of now, the State police were not empowered to arrest those accused in hawala dealings. The police should hand over the accused to the Enforcement wing of the Centre. It had not come to the notice of the Home Department that the news of hawala raids were leaked to the operators, Mr. Balakrishnan said.