The Hindu : Kerala News : Two hurt in attack at Bangladesh Colony

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 20, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Two hurt in attack at Bangladesh Colony

By Our Staff Reporter

KOZHIKODE, DEC. 19. A television cameraman and a police constable were injured when they were attacked allegedly by drug-peddlers at Bangladesh Colony here this morning.

The Indiavision cameraman A.V. Shamsudheen was allegedly manhandled by one of the local drug-peddlers. Police constable Sasidharan attached to the Nadakkavu police station was injured when a mob threw stones at the police and mediapersons.

Trouble started after anti-narcotic activists took out a march to the colony. Journalists had to run for cover when local residents started throwing stones at them. The Nadakkavu Circle Inspector, S. Abhilash, and the Sub Inspector Nalinakshan were on the spot at the time of the incident. The Assistant Commissioner of Police, P.S. Zakaria, reached later.

A case has been registered in connection with the incidents. The police have arrested Chandran, allegedly a drug-peddler.

Minister's visit

The Minister for Health and Family Welfare, K.K. Ramachandran, visited the colony in the afternoon. The police escorted him to the locality where the drug mafia attacked mediapersons and the police.

He told mediapersons that steps would be taken to start a deaddiction centre at the Government Beach Hospital, the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital and at the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences at Kuthiravattom.

Local residents complained to the Minister that even senior police officers were hand in glove with the drug mafia. They said unemployment has led to drug menace at the colony. Mr. Ramachandran promised that illegal structures carrying out drug business would be demolished soon. The Kozhikode Corporation has already issued notices to demolish an unauthorised wall inside the colony.

Police picket

The Kozhikode City Police Commissioner, H. Venkatesh, told The Hindu today that the police picket that started functioning at the colony this evening will be deployed for some time. An Assistant Sub Inspector, assisted by four constables, is in charge of the picket. A youth of the colony had died of overuse of drugs recently. Random raids will be carried out at the colony to curtail the activities of the drug mafia, he said.

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