The Thiruvananthapuram City police have registered a case against Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K. Sudhakaran, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, and other senior party leaders in connection with the violence during a Congress protest march to the State police headquarters on Saturday.
The Museum police also booked Shashi Tharoor, Kodikkunnil Suresh, Jeby Mather, MPs, former Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala and District Congress Committee president Palode Ravi, in addition to 500 identifiable persons in the case.
They have been charged with various offences under provisions including Sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 283 (danger or obstruction of public way of line of navigation), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging duty) of the Indian Penal Code, and those under the Kerala Police Act, and the Kerala Prevention of Damage to Private Property and Payment of Compensation Act.
The first information report accused the Congress workers of unleashing wanton violence during the demonstration and injuring police officers and a news photographer. The circumstances had prompted the police to use stun grenades and tear smoke grenades on the activists to restore law and order.
The police had a few days ago booked Mr. Satheesan in connection with the violence during a Youth Congress march to the Secretariat. A case had then been registered against 30 people, including Shafi Parambil, MLA, and Youth Congress State president Rahul Mankoottathil
