Three new SITs bring Kerala Police under focus

Thiruvananthapuram, June 17 (IANS) The credibility of the Kerala Police has come under renewed focus, with three politically sensitive cases from the second term of the Pinarayi Vijayan government returning to the spotlight after three new SITs were constituted following V.D. Satheesan taking over.

Fresh investigations were subsequently initiated, and developments are now coming thick and fast.

The ‘Kafir screenshot’ controversy, the alleged assault on Youth Congress workers in Alappuzha involving the then Chief Minister’s security personnel, and the mid-air confrontation involving Youth Congress activists and former CPI(M) Minister E.P. Jayarajan have now seen renewed police action after witnessing little progress earlier.

The latest development came on Wednesday with the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the IndiGo flight incident involving Youth Congress activists and Jayarajan.

The incident occurred when Youth Congress activists raised slogans against then Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan while he was travelling from Kannur to Thiruvananthapuram.

Jayarajan, who was also on board, intervened after the protest.

A complaint filed by the activists alleging assault had not resulted in any visible action at that time.

Reacting to the formation of the SIT, Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan on Wednesday said that if he had been in such a situation and the protesters were not violent, he would have approached them and asked why they were protesting rather than resorting to force.

“No action was taken against the complaint filed by the Youth Congress activists,” said Satheesan.

The flight incident is the third politically sensitive matter to come under fresh investigation.

In the Vadakara ‘Kafir screenshot’ case, which became a major controversy during the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign, the investigation had remained without a major breakthrough for a considerable period before the SIT arrested a CPI(M) youth wing activist the other day.

In the Alappuzha incident, Youth Congress workers had alleged that they were attacked by security personnel attached to the then Chief Minister during a protest.

Though complaints were filed earlier, no major action followed at that stage.

The officials involved have since been suspended, questioned by the SIT, and the prosecution has approached the High Court opposing their anticipatory bail plea.

The developments have brought back questions over the functioning of the police in politically sensitive cases.

The larger issue being debated is whether investigations move with equal urgency, irrespective of the political standing of those involved.

For the Kerala Police, the three cases have become a test of institutional credibility — whether the force is seen as acting independently on the basis of law and evidence, rather than the changing political environment.

–IANS

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