The Kerala Police is drawing criticism from political parties and victims of violence alike for its alleged failure to effectively intervene in the developments in Kannur where political violence has been continuing since August 28 despite Congress Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala’s repeated claims about the Government’s commitment to safeguarding law and order.
A minimum of 15 persons have been admitted to various hospitals with injuries suffered in violent incidents and at least 30 houses belonging to both CPI(M) and BJP-RSS men have come under attack since last Friday in various parts of the district but the police have not being able to find those responsible for any of these incidents, it is alleged.
The police have registered about 30 cases over the violent incidents in Kannur which had started with clashes between CPI(M) and RSS men in Azhikode on the night of August 18 but they have not been able to draw up even a clear list of accused. Also, complaints have come up to the effect that the police deployment in sensitive areas has not been effective.
“As Kannur has a history of political violence, police personnel in large numbers are always available in the district. But the problem this time is that the deployment has not been effective. It seems the top brass has failed in correctly assessing the magnitude of the problem this time. There could have been Intelligence failure,” said a retired police official. But a high-level meeting convened by the Home Department on Monday observed that the police had been acting efficiently and effectively in Kannur and that there had been no Intelligence failure. DGP TP Senkumar said that the political parties as well as media had the responsibility in responding creatively in such situations.
The Home Minister said that the CPI(M) and RSS were indulging in violence deliberately to disrupt law and order. “Incidents of violence are occurring without provocation. The Government will crush such incidents. The police have the responsibility to ensure peace in the society and they will do that,” Chennithala said.
Sources in the police said more personnel, drawn from various wings of the force in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts, were being deployed in the violence-hit areas of Kannur. Thirty personnel from a company of Rapid Action Force were deployed in Azhikode and Valapattanam areas in the district on Monday morning.
Kannur saw at least five incidents of attacks on houses of RSS and CPI(M) workers early Monday morning. The police on Sunday night arrested a CPI(M) worker, Sanoj, at Chakkarakkallu when he was carrying two country-made bombs on his motorcycle. Three more persons were taken into custody in connection with this. Political violence had erupted in Kannur along with several other places in Kerala after Abhilash, a BJP worker, and C Narayanan, a CPI(M) activist, were murdered in Thrissur and Kasaragod respectively on the Onam festival day, August 28. Nine persons have so far been arrested in connection with the two murders.