NKS yatra assault case: Kerala HC issues notice to five cops

Kochi: High court has issued notice to five police officers accused of assaulting Youth Congress and KSU functionaries during a protest in Alappuzha against the Nava Kerala Sadas (NKS) yatra conducted by the previous LDF-led govt.

The notice was issued in a petition filed by the state govt seeking cancellation of the anticipatory bail granted to them by a sessions court.Justice C S Dias directed the accused police officers — former CM’s gunman S Anil Kumar, S Sandeep, V K Saiju, R Arun and V V Vipin — to file their replies to the petition by June 20 and adjourned the matter for further consideration. According to prosecution, during the NKS programme in Alappuzha, two leaders — A D Thomas, now an MLA, and Ajay Juel Kuriakose — were allegedly assaulted with lathis by members of the escort and security team attached to the then CM after they had been restrained by local police personnel.

On June 9, the principal sessions court, Alappuzha, granted anticipatory bail to the five officers in connection with a case registered at the Alappuzha South police station regarding the alleged attack.The state govt submitted that the weapons allegedly used in the attack have not yet been recovered and that the investigation into their source, procurement, possession, transportation and concealment is continuing. Therefore, the custodial interrogation of the accused is necessary. The govt further submitted that a special investigation team (SIT) had been constituted to conduct a detailed probe into the incident pursuant to a magistrate court’s direction for further investigation after it rejected the police reference report.

It was also contended that the grant of anticipatory bail to the accused officers would adversely affect the investigation.