The Hindu : Karnataka News : Chandy blames police for violence

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Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Chandy blames police for violence

Staff Reporter

KASARAGOD: Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy has demanded that the police expose the conspiracy behind the recent clashes in Kasaragod which killed four persons and left several injured, and bring to book those who are responsible for the heinous crimes.

Mr. Chandy was inaugurating a day-long satyagraha and all-religion prayer meeting of the Congress held on the new bus stand premises here on Tuesday. Blaming the police for the deaths, Mr. Chandy said that if the police had taken strong steps right from the first day when one person was killed, subsequent deaths and violence could have been averted. While the first murder took place on April 14, the Home Minister arrived in the district only on April 19 and it was then that he gave strict orders to suppress violence, Mr. Chandy said.

KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala, in his address, said that the large number of long-pending cases in Kasaragod proved the lack of interest shown by the police in arresting criminals and ensuring protection to life and property of the public. Liquor mafias and hired murderers were ruling the roost in the district. He added that the toddy shops in the districts were run by societies which had close relations to the CPI (M) and its feeder organisations and also with the illicit liquor mafia. It might be because of this nexus between a section of CPI (M) leaders and the liquor mafia that the police were hesitating to act firmly against the illicit liquor mafia, Mr. Chennithala said.

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