Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), the main opposition in Kerala, walked out of the state assembly over the alleged police inaction in a case of death of a 36-year-old man caused by the sand mafia.
The Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan assured the House of strong action if there was any lapse on the part of the police and said the state government has sought a report from the deputy superintendent of police in this regard.
A 36-year-old farmer and Gulf-returnee, Sangeeth, was killed using a sand excavator when he tried to stop a group of sand smugglers from excavating sand in the cover of night from his 40-cent plot at the back of his house at Amablathinkala near Kattakkada on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram.
Though neighbours and relatives rushed him to the hospital, Sangeeth could not be saved.
The incident happened around midnight on January 23. It was Sangeeth's wife who first heard some noises behind their house.
“She went out and saw some men clawing mud from their plot using an excavator. She soon informed Sangeeth, who had just returned from the town. Sangeeth rushed to the spot and asked them who gave them permission to excavate mud from his plot. Then, they began to silence him. They were five or six of them,” Amablathinkala ward member M R Sunil Kumar told Onmanorama.
They threatened him when Sangeeth told them that he would call the police.
He rushed back up, got into his car and drove it right to the entrance of the plot, blocking it. “Sensing danger, the men drove the excavator towards the entrance, knocked down a portion of the perimeter wall and pushed the car away, crushing it. Sangeeth then stood in front of the excavator. But the JCB did not stop and Sangeeth did not move. He kept yelling at them to stop. The bucket of the JCB hit him hard on his head and he was violently thrown aside. The men sped away in the JCB,” Sunil Kumar said.
Eight suspects have been arrested in this connection.
In his reply to an adjournment motion moved by the Opposition member M Vincent stating that the police was allegedly in connivance with the mafia and delayed taking action on the gang.
Vincent also sought a government job to the widow of Sangeeth and a compensation of Rs 25 lakh to the family.
The MLA alleged corruption in the police force and there were 'collection centres' around certain police stations to receive bribes.
To this, the Chief Minister told the House, "Our aim is to curb corruption in the police force. So, if anyone has any evidence with regard to the so-called collection centres and bribery, come forward with the evidence."
