Protests against the port/Representational/PTI photo.
Thiruvananthapuram: 3,000 known people were named in a case by the Kerala Police after an incident in which a mob attacked a police station in Vizhinjam of Kerala's capital district. The mob of fishermen were protesting against the port, being developed by Adani Group, in Vizhinjam, The Indian Express Reported.
In the violent incidents on Sunday night, 36 policemen and 20 protesters were injured.
According to an FIR, the mentioned number of people laid siege to the police station and held officials hostage, for hours. During the demonstration, demanding the release of five men detained over a Saturday violence, the mob destroyed furniture and vehicles at the station premises. They also threatened to torch officials alive if the five were not released, the FIR stated, adding that the police department sustained a loss of 85 lakh.
According to the Kerala Port Development Minister Ahamed Devarkovil, the district collector had called for an all-party on Monday to ensure peace in the region and promised to talk with agitators.
The minister further said that the issue would be up before the high court on Monday, and the government will decide on action on the basis of the outcome from the court. However, despite assuring the court that they will not disrupt the port construction, the agitators have blocked it, breaching their promise, the minister said.
ADGP M R Ajit Kumar said that the situation had been brought under control. Four of the five detained in custody were released on bail, while the last one has been sent to judicial custody.
Vizhinjam action council convener Fr Eugene Pereira said that the police provoked the fishermen, and the violent incidents were orchestrated by the ruling CPI(M) government. The police detained a person who had nothing to do with the Saturday incident, and when four others went to enquire about the detainee's custody, they were also detained, which ended up in the Sunday incident, he said.
On Sunday, the Kerala Police named the Archbishop of the Latin Catholic Diocese, Thomas J Netto, as the first accused in an FIR filed on the Vizhinjam clashes that occurred in the capital district on Saturday.
In the FIR, police have named more than 50 priests of the Latin Catholic church, including Auxiliary bishop Christudas and Vicar General Yujin Pereria, for conspiring the attack on Vizhinjam sea port on Saturday.