Kannur: Contrary to the claims of the opposition parties that the police was favouring CPM workers in Kannur, the red citadel, the home department statistics shows otherwise. When the police arrested 458 CPM workers since May 2016, the number of BJP/RSS workers was 190 and Congress just 42. The home department has green-flagged district police chief Sanjay Kumar Gurudin’s no-nonsense approach despite local displeasure. Though there were several clamours from the party centres itself for his removal, the DPC is sitting safe and continuing his impartial action, which points at the go-ahead by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who also the home portfolio.
The maximum number of cases initiated was also against CPM workers (80) while they booked only 59 BJP/RSS workers. The total number of cases registered during the five months is 181. On Wednesday, two local leaders, one each from CPM and BJP, were taken into custody. The office of the DPC stated that DYFI leader and area committee member O.K. Vineesh and BJP secretary Haridas were picked up from their respective houses in Thalassery for verifying their role in supporting criminals in custody. They were soon released.
However, the district police chief said Kannur police was doing what they were expected to do. “I am only enforcing what the police is supposed to do. There is no direction or pressure on me. I feel I have been given sufficient freedom to act legally in fair and impartial manner,” he said.
