Kothamangalam town along the eastern suburbs of Ernakulam district bordering Idukki district turned into a battleground after the Congress staged a protest with the body of the woman killed by a wild elephant at Kanjiraveli near Adimaly on Monday. The police later resorted to lathicharge to disperse the violent protesters.
The drama started unfolding after the Congress launched a protest with the body of the victim by pitching three makeshift tents at Post Office (P.O.) Junction in the heart of Kothamangalam town around noon even before the inquest and post-mortem could be conducted. A debate raged for the rest of the day as to whether the Congress had the permission of the victim’s family in taking away the body from the Kothamangalam Taluk Hospital. The ruling CPI(M) and a section of victim’s relatives said the Congress did not have the permission. The Congress maintained it did.
