A case has been registered against a former Congress MLA, VT Balram, and a group of party workers for allegedly manhandling a youth. The incident took place on Sunday, July 25, when the youngster questioned MP Remya Haridas and other Congress leaders who were sitting inside a restaurant in Palakkad during the lockdown, thereby violating COVID-19 protocols, the police said on Tuesday, July 27. The case was registered based on a complaint made by the youth, Sanuf Mohad, who works as a delivery executive in Palakkad.
The police had already registered a case against the hotel for allegedly violating COVID-19 protocols and allowing Alathur MP and Congress leader Remya Haridas and her party workers, including former MLA VT Balram to sit inside the restaurant on Sunday, while the state is under lockdown. A case has also been registered against VT Balram for allegedly manhandling the youth who questioned the MP. However, Remya Haridas has denied the allegations saying the Congress workers were just questioning him as the youth allegedly grabbed her arms.
The video had gone viral in which the youth was seen questioning a group of people including Remya Haridas and MLA VT Balram, who was seen sitting inside a hotel at Chandra Nagar in Palakkad. Though no food items were seen on the table, glasses filled with water were placed on the table.
The youth who approached the group while filming can be heard asking Remya Haridas whether she is the MP. When Remya Haridas replies yes, he can be heard asking, “Dine-in is not allowed right, then how are you sitting and eating here?”
The MP did not reply, and the youngster asked the question again. She said she was waiting for a parcel, listing out what she had ordered. The youngster can be heard countering this saying everyone else is made to stand outside while waiting for parcels.
“Day before yesterday, the police fined me when I brought a parcel while returning back from college and was eating it sitting inside the car,” he further says. He can further be heard saying, “Madam, you are a responsible person, supposed to be a role model.” The MP was then seen rising from her chair, saying she will wait elsewhere. “Rules are applicable to everyone right,” the youth can be heard replying.
Later, in the video, a man can be seen roughing up the youth while he is taking the video. After it went viral, Remya Haridas told the media that the Congress workers were questioning the youth, as he allegedly grabbed her arms and pulled her. However, this cannot be seen in the video.
After being allegedly attacked, the youngster took treatment at a district hospital, police added.
"Based on the complaint lodged by the youth, a case was registered against former Thrithala MLA VT Balram, local Congress leader Palayam Pradeep and some others," a police official told PTI. The case was filed under IPC 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 read with section 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), the official added.
Meanwhile, in the video, some others were also seen dining inside the restaurant.
(With PTI inputs)
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