‘Won’t cooperate unless action taken against police officials:’ Jishnu’s family begin fast

Parents of Jishnu Pranoy, the Nehru College student found dead in his hostel room under mysterious circumstances in January, began their fast at the Government Medical Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday a day after the police brutal crackdown on their protest outside the DGP office. 

Their fast comes even as Kerala is witnessing a state-wide hartal over the police action.

While Jishnu’s mother Mahija and her brother began their fast in the hospital, the 18-year-old student’s father Asokan and other relatives are protesting outside the hospital. Around 12 family members have also joined them in their protest.

Also read: 'Kerala police is my enemy': Jishnu’s 15-year-old sister Arya tells TNM she will join the fight

Jishnu’s sister Avishna alias Arya began her fast at their home in Kozhikode’s Nadapuram. Relatives told reporters that they weren’t aware that outsiders like former CPM activist KM Shajahan, and Himaval Bhadranandna alias Thokku Swami, who has been arrested for fraud in the past, were at the spot.

While Mahija told reporters that they didn’t know the ‘outsiders’, Jishnu’s uncle Sreejith said that it should be probed how Thokku Swami managed to penetrate the protest. His family also refused to hold discussions with the LDF-led government unless action is taken against Sub Inspector of Museum Police Station Sunil Kumar and Cantonment Assistant Commissioner K E Baiju.  

Speaking to The News Minute Sreejith said that they have conveyed this message to DGP Lokntha Behra and IG Manoj Abraham when the officials visited them at Government Hospital Perorkada on Wednesday.

“Those officers are ‘idi veeranmar’ (experts at beating). How can such cruel officials continue in the police force? We won’t cooperate with the police unless they are dismissed,” he said. He also rejected reports that the DGP has invited them for discussion.

Meanwhile former KPCC President V M Sudheeran visited Jishnu’s relatives at the hospital.

The protest staged by Jishnu’s relatives in front of the DGP office on Wednesday took an unprecedented turn when the police used force to remove from the spot. The police action has attracted wrath and the visuals of Mahija being dragged from the road by women police personnel has become the defining picture of their struggle for justice.

Mahija was shifted to the Medical College Hospital after she was admitted to the Peroorkada Hospital for low BP following the protest.  

Also read: Cops shield their own? Reports say IG clears police of excesses against Jishnu's family