Thrissur Pooram row: Union Minister Suresh Gopi booked for using ambulance to reach festival venue

Union Minister Suresh Gopi faces legal action after a complaint was filed against him for allegedly using an ambulance for personal transport during the Thrissur Pooram festival on April 20, 2024.   

Thrissur: A case has been filed against Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Sunday (Nov 03) for arriving in an ambulance at the Thrissur Pooram grounds on April 20, 2024. The actor-politician is facing charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Motor Vehicles Act for reckless driving, violating police-imposed traffic restrictions, ignoring one-way limits at Swaraj ground, and improperly using a vehicle meant for patient transport. 

The case was filed on the complaint filed by CPI Thrissur constituency secretary Advocate Sumesh. It is alleged in the FIR that he traveled in an ambulance which was allowed to carry only patients. The accused, including Suresh Gopi, have been charged with a crime punishable by up to 6 months in prison.

Sumesh's complaint claims that the then BJP candidate Suresh Gopi for the Lok Sabha election unlawfully traveled in an ambulance following the Thrissur Pooram riots. Gopi was seen arriving at the Thiruvambadi Devaswom office in a Sevabharati ambulance late at night after leaving his residence. Video footage of his arrival in the ambulance has also been made public. The complaint alleges that Gopi misused the ambulance, intended solely for transporting patients, for his election campaign activities.

MoS Suresh Gopi had earlier admitted to using the ambulance to get to the Pooram venue, attributing his decision to health concerns. “I had difficulty walking through the crowd because of leg pain, so a few young individuals, who had no political motives, assisted me in getting into the ambulance,” he stated.

At first, Gopi denied using an ambulance and even requested a CBI inquiry into the situation. However, BJP district president KK Aneesh Kumar later clarified that although Gopi traveled to the city by car, he utilized the ambulance for a brief distance to reach the Pooram venue due to restrictions on private vehicles.

The issue arose from police involvement in the Pooram ceremonies this April. For the first time ever, the fireworks display—a key highlight typically held in the early morning—was rescheduled to the following day in broad daylight, leaving festival-goers disappointed.