Action taken against erring officials, Kerala CM on UDF allegation of criminalisation of police

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday said action has been taken against errant police officers and that goondas were not being protected, responding to opposition allegations of criminalisation of police and failure of law and order in the state, The CM's contentions came while opposing the Congress-led UDF's notice seeking adjournment of the House business for the day in the state Assembly to discuss the issue of alleged failure of law and order in the state.

Referring to the recent Palakkad double murder and the alleged police assault on a family in Pathanamthitta district, UDF MLA N Shamsudeen claimed that both situations indicated police failure.

The MLA also cited various other instances of alleged police excesses and alleged that the force was 'criminalised'.

Replying to these accusations, Chief Minister Vijayan conceded there was a failure on the part of the force which led to the Palakkad double murder where a 72-year-old woman and her 53-year-old son were allegedly hacked to death by their neighbour Chenthamara.

Chenthamara was on bail in a murder case for killing the elderly woman's daughter-in-law in 2019.

Vijayan said that the Inspector of the Nenmara police station has been suspended pending enquiry for not taking seriously the complaints by the victims' family claiming threats to their life from the accused.

The CM also said that the officers accused of assaulting a family in Pathanamthitta outside a bar there have also been suspended and cases have been registered against them.

He contended that this indicates that the government's stance was against wrong acts and that it was taking strict action against errant officers.

"The police are no longer protecting criminals and are taking strong action against them," he said, citing various criminal cases solved by the law and order agency.

In view of the CM's stand opposing the notice to adjourn House business for the day to discuss the issue raised by the UDF, Speaker A N Shamseer denied permission for the same which led to the opposition staging a walkout from the Assembly in protest.

While leading the walkout, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan contended that the number of police officers having links with criminals was on the rise.

He also said that according to figures given by the CM in the House, 18 officers facing enquiry for alleged links with criminals were in service and that the conviction rate in the state was less than 10 per cent.

Satheesan said this was due to lack of proper investigation and prosecution.

He claimed that the recent acquittal of an actor and seven others by a Kochi court in a cocaine case was due to improper filing of the charge sheet.

He further alleged that political patronage was being given to criminals and as a result the number of 'goondas' was on the rise in the state.

Satheesan also exchanged heated words with the Speaker by claiming that Shamseer "deliberately interrupted" his speech several times to disrupt the flow of his words.

He made the allegation after the Speaker asked him to conclude his 'walkout speech' a few times.

In response to Satheesan's allegation, Shamseer told him that this was not the way to address the Chair.