CPM, BJP in blame-game over ruckus at corp office

Thiruvananthapuram: Two separate cases have been registered at the Museum Police station in connection with Saturday’s ruckus at the corporation office. The cases were registered based on complaints by Mayor V K Prasanth and BJP leader and councillor Girikumar.

Mayor’s complaint is against 20 BJP councillors and seven men who could be identified on sight. Girikumar, meanwhile, has accused the mayor, five CPM councillors and the mayor’s PA of assault.

IPC Sections related to attempt to murder, unlawful assembly, rioting, assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty and voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty have been invoked in the cases. Police are yet to arrest anyone in this regard.

Prasanth, who was admitted to the critical care unit of the Medical College with injuries to his leg and collarbone, has been shifted to a room.

“After an hour-long discussion, the resolution on installation of high-mast lamps was cleared with amendments. The BJP councillor along with some people from outside tried to block my way. It clearly shows that it was a planned attack,” said Prasanth in a Facebook post.

The successful implementation of projects like waste management, fund utilisation, smart city and construction of flats and green protocol could have led to the assault, he said.

Meanwhile, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan visited the mayor in the hospital and condemned the attack. “The assault by people from outside was a planned one. Doctors informed me that the attack which left his neck injured could have been fatal or could have affected his mobility. There can be no justification for attacking a mayor in his office,” said Vijayan.

Kerala Administrative Reforms Commission chairperson V S Achuthanandan, who also visited the mayor, demanded strict action against the accused. CPI leader Kanam Rajendran also visited the mayor at the hospital.

The town planning adalat scheduled be held on Monday has been postponed.

“It is the first time in the history of the state that a mayor has been attacked so brutally,” said Kozhikode mayor and president of Kerala Mayors’ Council, Thottathil Raveendran, condemning the assault.

However, BJP leaders said that the mayor was faking injuries and doctors from New Delhi’s AIIMS should examine him. “We have visual proofs to show that Girikumar did not attack the mayor. All the allegation raised chief minister and CPM councillors are baseless,” said BJP leader S Suresh.