Probe Launched Against Kerala Minister Suresh Gopi Assault on Journalists

Thiruvananthapuram: Thrissur city police commissioner has ordered a probe into the allegations levelled against union minister of state for tourism Suresh Gopi for allegedly manhandling and insulting journalists on Tuesday.

The probe has been ordered based on a complaint filed by former MLA and Congress leader Anil Akkara. In his complaint, the Congress leader alleged that the union minister had violated the oath that he took under the Constitution by manhandling journalists and insulting then publicly.

Gopi is liable to be booked under the relevant sections of Police Act.

The union minister had allegedly manhandled journalists who were waiting for his reaction on the cases of sexual harrassment against his colleagues in the Malayalam film industry.

Gopi while walking towards his vehicle at the Ramanilayam Guest House, charged at the journalists and manhandled them.

The incident had sparked off a major controversy with Kerala Union of Working Journalists seeking stringent action against the minister.

The minister alleged that the journalists were interfering with his right to free movement.

Meanwhile, the Thrissur city police commissioner has directed his ACP to start a preliminary probe on the matter.

As part of the probe , the ACP will record the statement of the Congress leader and if required will also take the statements of the journalists on Thursday.

The incident had caused embarrassment to the BJP in Kerala as Suresh Gopi is the first MP to win a Lok Sabha seat in Kerala.

The opposition Congress alleged that Gopi has been behaving as if he the hero of a movie and not selected representative of the people.