Kerala opposition leader condemns attack on Congress MLA, says it was aimed at suppressing opposition

Kozhikode, Oct 11 (IANS) Kerala opposition leader VD Satheesan on Saturday condemned the brutal attack by police officers on Congress MP Shafi Parambil, calling the incident a deliberate attack to suppress the opposition voice.

Parambil is currently recovering in a private hospital here after a three-hour surgery.

A medical bulletin issued on Saturday said Parambil was brought to the hospital with fractures on the left and right nasal bones of his face following the alleged attack.

Proper surgical repair was done in a three-hour surgery and he is now recovering.

The incident occurred on Friday night when a protest was being taken out by Congress-led UDF supporters in Perambara.

Satheesan said the police had deliberately targeted Parambil to divert public attention from other serious issues.

“If blood has been shed, justice must be sought. Government-paid police officers must remember that their salary does not come from the AKG Center alone. Strict action must be taken against all those police officers who allegedly led the violent action and conspired to foment the confrontation,” he said.

He also said that the police deliberately stopped the Congress procession, leading to tension.

Satheesan said, “While around 3,000 UDF members were participating, over 200 CPI-M supporters were stopped by the police from passing through with the procession. Several workers suffered injuries during the clash.”

“It is aimed at shielding the state government, the chief minister and the CPI-M from accountability. If the authorities fail to take action against the police officers involved, we will increase our protests,” he said.

The UDF leadership has stressed that it will continue to mobilize its members through protests and public demonstrations to ensure that the law enforcement officers responsible for the attack are held accountable.

The incident has further escalated political tensions in the state, raising questions over police conduct during public demonstrations and the government’s handling of opposition activities.

–IANS

SG/KHz