Kerala High Court on Friday asked the Youth Congress State President Dean Kuriakose to give compensation for the damages incurred during the flash hartal it called for over the murder of two party workers at Periya in Kasaragod on Sunday. The Division Bench led by Chief Justice Hrishikesh Roy also ordered that Dean Kuriakose should be termed a convict in all the cases that have been registered across the state in association with hartal held on Monday.
The High Court also observed that United Democratic Front (UDF) leaders in Kasaragod, MC Kamarudheen and Govindhan Nair, should also be made to give compensation for the losses incurred in the district on the hartal day.
Meanwhile, Dean Kuriakose told TNM that the court has only stressed on the point that he should be made a convict in all cases associated with hartal. “I am yet to get the court order confirming if I should bear the compensation charges. Anyway, I will file an affidavit in the Court, explaining our point of view; but we will also comply with court’s proceedings,” he said.
The Court has also decided to form a commission after the state government submits a report on the damages caused to the public during the hartal. This commission will then decide the compensation amount.
The High Court will hear an explanation from Dean Kuriakose and other two Congress leaders regarding the case, on or before March 5.
According to media reports, Dean also told the court that he was unaware about the High Court’s directive banning flash hartals, to which, the court pointed out that Dean is a lawyer by profession. To this, Dean told HC that though he has studied law, he is not a practicing lawyer.
The High Court had taken a suo motu case against the statewide flash hartal called by the Youth Congress on Monday as contempt of court and violation of its January 3 order. The High Court had in January issued an interim order against declaring flash hartals without the prior notice of seven days.
The hartal, called following the death of Kripesh and Sarath, had turned violent in many parts of the state with party workers blocking vehicles and forcefully shutting down shops.