Kerala: Widespread protest erupts over arrest of Youth Congress President Rahul Mamkootathil

Thiruvananthapuram: Youth Congress State President Rahul Mamkootathil was arrested by the police in connection with the Secretariat protest against police during the Nava Kerala Sadas. He was arrested in a case of violence related to the Secretariat March and was brought to Thiruvananthapuram. He was arrested from his home in Pathanamthitta and brought to Cantonment Station at 10 a.m. He was taken from the station to Fort Hospital for a medical examination. The police stopped him from speaking to the media at the station. He was later produced at the Vanchiyoor Court.

A confrontation unfolded between Youth Congress state president Rahul and a police sub-inspector at the police station. Rahul asserted that he had cooperated thus far but warned that if the police intended to apply more force, he would be compelled to respond with force as well. 

The conflict broke out outside the hospital premises today. The activists stopped the vehicle and started protesting in Thiruvananthapuram. Meanwhile, VD Satheesan said that the youth congress decided to conduct a widespread protest in all the district centers.  Meanwhile, Youth Congress workers besieged the Chavara police station. KPCC President K Sudhakaran, Ramesh Chennithala, KC Venugopal, Benny Behnan, Shafi Parambil MLA, PK Kunhalikutty, Youth Congress State Vice President Adv. Abin Varki and others criticized the police and the government.

KPCC president K Sudhakaran MP condemned the arrest of the Youth Congress state president, labeling it a disgraceful act. Sudhakaran alleged that the arrest was carried out dramatically, implying that it might be politically motivated. Severely criticising the early morning arrest, VD Satheesan stated that Rahul is neither a traitor nor a terrorist to arrest him early in the morning. Satheesan also alleged that the same police, party, and government who paved the way for the escape of the man who brutally tortured and killed the six-year-old girl, on the other hand, are the personifications of state terrorism.

Rahul has been booked under the IPC 1860 Sections of 143,147,148,149,283,332,333,353,326. He has also been booked under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, of 1984. On December 20, YC coordinated a protest march to the Secretariat over attacks on its activists and those of KSU. The situation escalated into violence as police and members of the Congress youth outfit engaged in fighting. Opposition leader VD Satheesan is the first accused in the case. Shafi Parambil (MLA), and M Vincent (MLA), have also been booked.

• Rahul Mamkootathil