Kerala - Kollam   

NGO Association factions clash at Kollam office

Staff Reporter

Revenue Divisional Officer takes possession of office

KOLLAM: Tension erupted within the district committee office complex of the Kerala NGO Association when supporters of the Kambara and Mangat factions of the association came to fisticuffs on claims over the office complex. The development took place at 10.30 a.m. at Olai in the city.

Even before the May 1 split in the KPCC, the NGO Association stood polarised with the Kambara faction owing loyalty to the Antony group and the Mangat faction owing loyalty to the Karunakaran group.

Claim for office

Following the May 1 split in the Congress, the Mangat faction became the service organisation wing of the Democratic Indira Congress (Karunakaran). The district committee office complex of the association then came under the control of the Kambara faction that stood by the KPCC. But the Mangat faction also claimed that the office was under their control.

On Wednesday evening, the Mangat faction decided to hold its Civil Station branch meeting at the district committee office under the control of the Kambara faction. This resulted in the district leaders of the Kambara faction lodging a complaint with the Kollam West police. The Circle Inspector of the police station submitted the complaint to Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) S. Thulasidas.

Office sealed

On Thursday morning, even before the Mangat and Kambara faction supporters could reach there, the RDO accompanied by the Kollam Tahsildar and a strong police force arrived at the complex and sealed it. It resulted in both the factions trying to barge into the complex by breaking a police cordon. In the melee that ensued, the factions clashed with each other.

The police intervened and brought the situation under control. The Mangat faction supporters left the scene soon afterwards. District president of the Kambara faction Soman Pillai said that all records pertaining to the ownership of the office complex was in the name of his faction. He said that he would soon present these records to the officers concerned and win back possession of the complex.

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