Thiruvananthapuram: SFI leader Naseem, a prime suspect in the recent attack on a policeman, surrendered at Cantonment Police Station in the city on Wednesday. He was hiding for the past one-and-a-half months, though he was spotted at a public event attended by ministers yesterday as revealed by the visuals shown on Manorama News. He was present during the entire function attended by ministers AK Balan and KT Jaleel at the University College on Monday evening, though the police claimed he was absconding.
On Tuesday, the police who provided security to the ministers turned a blind eye to Naseem’s presence. He left the venue without any hassle after the event, pointing to CPM district leadership’s help to the suspect involved in a non-bailable offence.
Police reportedly had information that Naseem had participated in the Women’s Wall event held on New Year. But no action was taken then either. A plea from the parents of the assaulted policeman was also ignored.
Naseem allegedly beat up a cop at Palayam after a spat following a traffic infringement. The traffic cop who pulled over violators near the war memorial at Palayam was thrashed by a gang of 20 SFI supporters for questioning them. Those arrested were later freed from custody by force by the same gang later. CCTV images showed Naseem leading the gang. Six people were booked as prime suspects in the incident.
There was pressure from the CPM to save the suspects from the beginning itself, it is alleged. Following controversy, SFI activists Haider, Aromal, Sreejith and Akhil surrendered to the police. The aide of Neyyatinkara MLA Ansalan is the father of Haider.
The police later removed Naseem and another suspect from the case that soon went cold. The latter was removed saying the CCTV images were not conclusive. Naseem officially went in ‘hiding’. He participated in several CPM events thereafter, including the one in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday.
Another suspect in the case is on the rank list of new police recruits. His other old cases too were buried with political intervention. A top CPM leader had directly asked the police to remove this person from the list of suspects in the case involving Naseem. But the police have not budged yet, despite political pressure to free him.
