UAPA slammed against CPM activists alleging Maoist links

Kozhikode: Two students, who are also CPI(M) activists, were arrested early on Saturday under the UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for having allegedly distributed pro-Maoists pamphlets, a move that drew flak from political parties.

The two - Taha Fazal, a Journalism student and Alan Shuhaib, studying law, are branch committee members of the marxist party, police said.

The duo was picked up last evening from nearby Pantheerankavu and pamphlets were seized from them, they said.

Their arrests were recorded on Saturday.

Some of the pamphlets also reportedly criticised the recent police action gunning down four suspected Maoists at Attapadi.

A relative of Taha Fazal, however, said the youth had no connection with any Maoist organisation.

Leader of Opposition in the assembly, Ramesh Chennithala lashed out at the government for arresting the two under UAPA and termed it as a "barbaric" action of the left government.

In Attapadi four people were gunned down by police and the chief minister had not expressed any regret so far, he said adding putting behind bars those sympathising with maoists ideology was "wrong," he said.

Flaying the police action, CPI Assistant Secretary, K Prakash Babu said the UAPA is a "black law", which is being "misused" by police.

Kozhikode district CPI(M) Secretary, P Mohanan also came down on the police action in arresting the two youths under UAPA.

As criticism against police mounted following arrest of the two youth under UAPA, DGP Loknath Behera has asked IGP North zone Ashok Yadav to visit Pantheerankavu and concerned police station and report back to him, police sources said.

Meanwhile, Chief Miniter Pinarayi Vijayan assured the family members of the two youths who met him here that he would look into their grievance.