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The Chirayinkeezhu police in Thiruvananthapuram have registered cases against Congress MLA Ramya Haridas and several party workers named by her, following a late-night clash at a Congress worker’s house, with both sides accusing the other of assault.
Ramya, a former MP, is currently the MLA representing Chirayinkeezhu constituency.
Ramya has alleged that she was manhandled by local Congress workers during the confrontation but her account of what happened inside the house has been disputed by some Congress workers
The police registered a case against 15 Congress workers, including seven identified by Haridas in her statement, under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. A separate case has been registered against Ramya based on a complaint from Congress worker Sajad, whose statement is expected to be recorded on Saturday.
The police are proceeding cautiously as the two sides have given sharply different accounts of the incident, which occurred around 11 pm on Friday, September 4.
Ramya Haridas has alleged that Friday night’s confrontation at a party worker’s house was part of a “conspiracy”, while the family of Congress worker Sajad has accused the legislator and those accompanying her of entering their home and threatening them.
A video of the confrontation that surfaced on social media shows Ramya having a confrontation with Congress workers inside the house. The footage also shows Ramya saying, “let go of my hand” to a Congress worker as the scuffle continues. Ramya later accused the Congress worker of twisting her hand but the allegation was denied.
Ramya Haridas had gone to the house of Sajad, a Congress worker, along with her private secretary, Palayam Pradeep. According to the police, the two had gone there to resolve a dispute that had arisen during a block panchayat project implementation meeting.
Media reports said the dispute centred on Pradeep’s participation in the meeting and his alleged instructions to civic contractors working with the local body. Some Congress workers had questioned his authority to intervene in the affairs of the block panchayat and objected to his presence at the meeting, reports said.
Ramya Haridas, who was admitted to Chirayinkeezhu Taluk Hospital after the confrontation, said she had gone to Sajad’s house after he invited her in for a discussion over tea.
She was discharged on Saturday morning. Police officers, including Sub-Inspector N Ansar, reached the hospital to record her statement.
“I was with my staff. This was part of a conspiracy. The moment we sat down, around eight people, including Sajith Muttambalam, came there. They held my hands. My leg had undergone surgery, and Sajith kicked that leg,” Ramya alleged while speaking to the media.
Sajith Muttambalam is a Congress leader and a member of the Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat.
Sajith alleged that Ramya herself caught hold of his hands and then shouted to let go of her.
Simi Sajad, Sajad’s wife, said she was at home with her children when the group arrived.
“I was alone with my children. Some people came running in, and the MLA was also among them. One person in the group threatened my daughter and asked her to read something from a phone. She got so scared. Then I told them, ‘If you have some issues, why drag the child into it?’ Then one person pushed me. We have filed a complaint,” she said.
Simi said she opened the door because she saw that Ramya Haridas was among the people outside.
“I opened the door because the MLA was there in the group,” she said.
Sajith demanded that the police take action against Ramya Haridas and Pradeep for allegedly trespassing into the house, assaulting the worker and damaging property.
The police said Sajad’s statement would be recorded before further action is taken in the case against the MLA.
