Kerala Youth Congress president's dramatic arrest triggers state-wide protest

Thiruvananthapuram: Youth Congress state president Rahul Mamkootathil’s dramatic arrest by police from his house in Adoor in Pathanamthitta district on early Tuesday morning triggered state-wide protests by the Congress workers in Kerala.

A police party from Cantonment police station in Thiruvananthapuram arrived at Rahul’s residence on Tuesday morning. The Youth Congress leader alleged that the police cordoned off his house and arrested him without disclosing the grounds or the reason for taking him into custody. A couple of local Congressmen tried to prevent the cops from taking away Rahul.

Rahul was brought to Cantonment police and informed that he was arrested in connection with the violence that took place during the Youth Congress march against the Kerala Government’s outreach programme Nava Kerala Sadas in Thiruvananthapuram in December. The case pertains to damage to public property and the injury caused to eight policemen including the Cantonment sub inspector. Several Youth Congress workers were also injured in that incident.

The Cantonment police had registered cases against 30 identifiable people including opposition leader V D Satheeshan, Shafi Parambil, MLA and Rahul Mankottathil. More than 300 persons were on the accused list. Opposition leader Satheeshan alleged that the entire house of Rahul was cordoned off as if the cops had come to take away a terrorist.

“The police have unleashed repressive measures against the Congress workers in the state. On the other hand, the same police are protecting the criminals involved in the rape of a minor in the Idukki district. An area committee member of CPM who forcibly took away a party worker from police custody and a DYFI leader who openly threatened police officers have not been arrested yet. The Kerala government has a dual policy of law and order," he said.

Meanwhile, Youth Congress workers organised protests in several districts against Rahul’s arrest. The YC workers blocked traffic on the state and national highways at many places and held protest demonstrations in the district headquarters. PCC president K Sudhakaran, Ramesh Chennithala, K C Venugopal, Benny Behnan, Shafi Parambil and  P K Kunhalikutty condemned the police's highhandedness. K C Venugopal said the arrest of Rahul was an example of the police raj in Kerala.

"My son did not commit any murder. I asked all the policemen who came to my house as to why they were taking away my son. But none had an answer. I understand they were only implementing the orders received from higher-ups. My son is not afraid of such arrests,” said Rahul’s mother in whose presence the police arrested him.