Pinarayi Vijayan: Kerala govt never approved handcuffing students

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday (September 19) said his government never approved of the handcuffing of students and had decided to transfer the Wadakkanchery police station Station House Officer (SHO) for escorting three Kerala Students Union (KSU) activists to court in restraints.

The chief minister was responding to a submission in the State Assembly by Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan against how three KSU activists were brought to the court. He took a dig at the CPI(M)-led LDF government, stating that "even terrorists were not treated in this manner now".

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Congress accuses SHO

The Congress hit out at the police after three KSU leaders, arrested following a clash with the Student Federation of India (SFI), were produced before a magistrate's court at Wadakkanchery in Thrissur district with their faces masked and hands cuffed.

The three were identified as Thrissur district KSU vice president Ganesh Attur, district committee member Al Ameen, and Killimangalam Arts College unit president Aslam KK.

VD Satheesan, in his submission, noted that the police action was criticised by the subordinate court, and a show cause notice was issued to the SHO. Satheesan also demanded stringent action against the officer, citing that the same SHO was involved in the custodial beating of a Youth Congress leader at Kunnamkulam police station.

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Clashes in Kozhikode varsity

Pinarayi, in his response, which was read out in the House by Cooperation and Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan, said that there was a clash between two student groups of Killimangalam and Mala colleges in connection with the Kozhikode University D-Zone festival.

Following that, seven persons, including a KSU activist – Ganesh – allegedly beat up two students, inflicted head injuries, and robbed money and mobile phones. Based on the complaint by the victims, a case was registered at the Wadakkanchery police station.

Ganesh and two others, who were allegedly involved in the assault, absconded but were later arrested in Koyilandy on September 11. They were remanded in judicial custody.

"As one of the injured students said, he did not know the accused, but could recognise them. Their identification was necessary and therefore, the three were brought to court in masks so that they were not identified in the public domain," Vijayan noted.

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However, he reiterated that his government does not agree with the action of handcuffing students.

"Government decided to conduct an investigation into the complaint received in that regard and to transfer the SHO during the pendency of the investigation," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)