Kerala BJP councillor Sugathan shifted to Central Jail, Mayor alleges police excess

Thiruvananthapuram, June 10 (IANS) Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Mayor V.V. Rajesh on Wednesday said the BJP would fight the case involving councilor R. Sugathan both politically and legally, alleging that the police created unnecessary tension during the arrest operation at the councilor’s residence.

“The police created unnecessary tension at his house. There was no need for such a situation. The police official fired in the air only to create a scene. The police did not give any briefing regarding the KAAPA case,” Rajesh said.

Sugathan, the BJP councilor representing the Vazhoottukonam ward, was shifted to the Central Jail after being arrested by the Vattiyoorkavu Police following dramatic scenes at his residence on Tuesday night.

He is the first sitting councilor to be jailed under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities Prevention Act (KAAPA). The District Collector had earlier ordered Sugathan’s preventive detention under KAAPA.

A new case has also been registered against him for allegedly assaulting police personnel who arrived to arrest him. The arrest was carried out in connection with a case alleging an attempt to murder following a dispute during a temple festival two months ago.

Sugathan had approached the High Court seeking anticipatory bail in the case. However, the court rejected his plea and directed him to appear before the investigating officer by June 7. Sugathan failed to appear within the deadline and remained unavailable.

Police said they received secret information that Sugathan had returned to his house at Vazhoottukonam and reached the spot under the leadership of Vattiyoorkavu CI Vipin.

However, his supporters gathered outside the house and surrounded the police team, preventing them from leaving with Sugathan. The situation escalated when police officers faced resistance from the crowd.

The CI later fired into the air to disperse the gathering, following which Sugathan was taken into custody. The police alleged that Sugathan and his brother attacked CI Vipin and SI Abhijith during the arrest attempt.

Both officers sustained injuries. Sugathan, however, rejected the allegations and claimed that he was undergoing treatment for chickenpox and was not absconding.

He alleged that the police entered his house without a female officer and assaulted his wife and son. His wife, Aswathy, also alleged that the police assaulted Sugathan, frightened the children, and created panic inside the house.

She claimed that their eight-year-old child was pushed away when the child started crying.

The police denied these allegations, stating that force was used only after the councilor and his brother attacked the officers and that the firing was carried out in self-defence to control the situation.

His arrest under KAAPA has now added a fresh political confrontation between the BJP and the police authorities.

–IANS

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