Date:31/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/31/stories/2008083150640100.htm

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DYFI activists release man from police station

Staff Reporter

Taking stock of the situation: Top police officers visiting the Kottakkal police station after it was attacked by a mob on Saturday morning.

KOTTAKKAL (Malappuram dist.): Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) activists attacked the police station here and forcibly released an accused from the lockup in the early hours of Saturday, the police said. Three police personnel were injured in the attack.

The police said the activists, led by C. Sirajuddin, DYFI Tanur block president, pushed aside a woman constable, Philomina, and entered the police station around 4 a.m. She was injured. They released Hamdan, 23, who was rounded up from Kottakkal around midnight.

The police said Hamdan, DYFI Edarikode panchayat secretary, was an accused in several cases, including a recent attack on a supermarket and the violence at Edarikode in connection with the protest against the controversial Class 7 social science textbook.

He was later arrested in his house at Pookiparamba, near here.

The activists beat up Assistant Sub-inspector Sadanandan and head constable Moosa when the two tried to prevent them from releasing Hamdan. Mr. Sadanandan had a broken hand and Mr. Moosa was left with bruises. The injured have been admitted to the taluk hospital at Tirurangadi. The collapsible iron grill at the entrance of the station was bent.

The attack took place when Sub-inspector A.M. Siddique was away. Top police officials, including P. Vijayanand, Inspector-General of Police, and P. Vijayan, Superintendent of Police, Malappuram, rushed to the station. The police officers were camping at Kottakkal on Friday following the killing of two brothers in a clash at a Juma Masjid here.

The police registered a case against 30 people. Deputy Superintendent of Police, Tirur, U. Abdul Kareem will head the investigation. The security at the station was enhanced.