Kerala: Cong leaders Shanimol Usman, Bindu Krishna accuse police of targeting them in Palakkad hotel raid

By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Nov 6, 2024, 10:15 AM IST

A late-night police raid on rooms occupied by Congress leaders in a Palakkad hotel has sparked significant controversy. Congress leaders, including Shanimol Usman and Bindu Krishna, have accused the raid of being part of a premeditated political conspiracy aimed at targeting them.

Palakkad: The police raid on rooms occupied by Congress women leaders in the politically sensitive Palakkad Assembly constituency has ignited a controversy. The police, including officers in plain clothes, conducted the search in the wee hours of Wednesday (Nov 06) based on suspicions of concealed black money. Assistant Commissioner of Police Ashwathy Jiji clarified to the media that the operation was a standard procedure in line with election protocols.

Kerala: Congress leaders cry foul over police raid in Palakkad hotel ahead of by-election

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Congress leader Shanimol Usman stated that the raid conducted in Palakkad the previous night specifically targeted her and one other leader.

Speaking to Asianet News, she remarked, “This situation highlights both gender issues and political motives, with the police being used as a weapon against individuals. After everything, new narratives are being created to serve certain agendas."

Usman questioned the claims made after the search, saying, "They are now saying that I assaulted the female police officer. After everything was over, new stories were being cooked up. They claim that I managed to make the black money disappear in the 10 minutes it took to open the door. One officer even asked how I brought in so many sarees, and I replied that they were brought in a bullock cart. Now, they are saying that items were shifted from the room. What exactly is it that they claim I took?"

Shanimol Usman responded to remarks made by CPM leader A.A. Rahim regarding her refusal to open the door when the police knocked. She said, "I don’t follow Rahim’s culture. He can decide what to wear when he appears in front of people. If someone knocks at his door, he may choose to open it. But that’s not how it works here, and that's the mild way I would put it."

Referring to claims that she took a box from the hotel, Shanimol pointed out, "This is a hotel with CCTV cameras. If they check the footage, they’ll know everything."

Congress leader Bindu Krishna accused the raid of being part of a premeditated conspiracy. She said, "This hotel has 42 rooms. Initially, the police knocked on the door of Shanimol’s room on the ground floor. Then they went directly to the third floor and entered my room. How did so many DYFI and Yuva Morcha members end up there?" She further pointed out that immediately after the search, DYFI leaders claimed they had filed a complaint, while the police denied receiving any complaint. Bindu Krishna alleged that there was a major conspiracy behind the entire incident.

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