CM Vijayan defends police, accuses ‘outsiders’ of creating issues

Thiruvananthapuram: Reacting to the police action on the family of Jishnu Prannoy here on Wednesday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said a group of persons other than the family members had tried to gain entry to the DGP's office, which resulted in a commotion and the mother fell on the road.

A self-styled godman was also among them, Vijayan said. However, he said IGP Manoj Abraham has been asked to give a report on what exactly had happened.

Jishnu’s mother Mahija and her brother were admitted to the Trivandrum medical college hospital after they complained of uneasiness and body pain. On the chief minister’s directives, the DGP met Mahija at the hospital.

Wednesday’s development could not have come at a more inopportune time for the LDF as the Malappuram bypoll is to be held on April 12.

Expressing his displeasure, CPI(M) veteran V S Achuthanandan called up DGP Loknath Behra and spoke to him.

While Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said he was "pained" at the government failure to understand the sorrow of a mother who had lost her son, former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy termed the police action as shameful.

BJP state president Kummanam Rajashekaran said the police brutality seen Wednesday was worse than what happened during the Emergency. "The Pinarayi government will be washed away in the tears of the mother," he said.

Various youth organisations and women’s outfits took out marches and protested across the state.

Jishnu, a first year student of the Nehru College of Engineering in Thrissur, was found hanging in the college hostel in January following alleged harassments by college authorities.