Foes turned friends: What changed? Why is Pinarayi backing DCP Yatish Chandra who 'lathicharged' protesters?

Kerala government and police department are making all efforts possible to support DCP Yatish Chandra G H who led the police action against protestors at Puthuvype. It is not unusual for the government to support an officer who fought to resist terrorist attack or to ensure law and order. But what happened in the case of Yatish Chandra is very much surprising considering his relationship with Pinarayi and CPM comrades.

Ernakulam (rural) district police chief was the one to baton charge LDF workers on a hartal day at Angamaly, back in 2015. Youths found a new hero in the IPS officer and several posts congratulating him cropped up on Facebook. The netizens considered him as an officer who could end the reign of vicious politicians and hooligans. 

However, it did not go well with the CPM, who was in the Opposition at that time, and they called his action as 'Police Excesses.' Veteran leader V S Achuthanandan, who was the leader of opposition demanded the suspension of the officer and said that he was acting like a 'mad dog' while Pinarayi Vijayan said that the officer must be removed from his post. Pinarayi also stated that the officer treated LDF cadres like street goons. 

Yatish Chandra was also the first officer in the entire Police Department to face the CPM wrath. His brush with CPM activists in the past did not go well with the newly appointed government, and the officer was transferred from the post within a month. 

However, he came back to Ernakulam as DCP in January 2017, and the next news we heard about the officer was the controversial lathi-charge against Puthuvype protestors. 

DGP T P Senkumar, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan backed the officer stating call of duty while CPI, a major ally of ruling LDF, and CPM leaders including Kerala Administrative Reforms Commission chairman V S Achuthanandan and J Mercykutty Amma, Minister for Fisheries, condemned police action. 

Television footages had however revealed the police action at Puthuvype where victims of mob control measures instigated by police under DCP's leadership. The DCP was seen caning and dragging protestors at the venue. He was also found forcefully evicting people along with their children, without listening to their explanations. 

As many as seven children were severely injured in police action while one of them suffered a fracture. The police force, under his leadership, took 321 persons, including women and children, under custody. CPI leader Francis was admitted to hospital with severe injuries. 

The youths, who had once called him a sensible officer has now started to look at him as a bully looking for a frame. 
 

• Yatish Chandra
• Puthuvype protest
• Pinarayi Vijayan