Kerala cop kicking K-Rail protester should have been avoided: Probe report

Joy, a local Congress worker, was kicked on his hip by the policeman. The visual had been aired by Malayalam television channels.
A policeman kicking KRail protestors
A policeman kicking KRail protestors
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A Special Branch preliminary report on the alleged police high-handedness against people protesting the K-Rail project near Kazhakuttam in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala has said that kicking a Congress worker amid the protest could have been avoided. The New Indian Express reported that the report filed by Special Branch Deputy Superintendent of Police Stuart Keeler said the situation in the area was tense. However, the incident of Shabeer, a civil police officer, attached to the Mangalapuram police station kicking a Congress worker to the ground could have been avoided. Joy, a local Congress worker, was kicked on his hip by the policeman. The visual had been aired by Malayalam television channels.

The protest happened at Kazhakuttam on April 21, Thursday. The protest against the mega infrastructure project has been gaining momentum in the state once again for the past few days after the survey stone laying work for the project resumed after a gap of almost a month. The protest at Kazhakkuttam turned violent following a clash between the protesters and the police. According to Asianet News Shabeer is a police officer who was a party at an internal clash between the police personnel at the Armed Reserve camp in Thiruvananthapuram when the VS Achuthanandan government was in power (from 2006 to 2011).

K-Rail or Silver Line project is a semi-high speed railway corridor that is expected to connect the northern Kasaragod district to the southern Thiruvananthapuram in four hours. While the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic government has been unrelenting about it, environmentalists and the opposition Congress have been opposing it citing its ecological impact and the huge cost. People who would lose their land and property have also been vehemently opposing the project.

The estimated cost to complete the project spread over 540 kms, is Rs 63,941 crore. The project is implemented by the Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited. Watch the video of the clash between police and protesters at Kazhakuttam.

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