High Court flays conduct of Congress leader towards police during protest

March 12, 2024 09:44 pm | Updated 09:44 pm IST - KOCHI

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday criticised Ernakulam District Congress Committee (DCC) president Mohammed Shiyas for his conduct towards the police during a protest at Kothamangalam carrying the body of a woman who was trampled to death by an elephant.

When the petition filed by the DCC president alleging police harassment came up for hearing, the court orally asked how taking a body out from the mortuary on to the middle of the road became a peaceful protest. The court said the petitioner wanted to make some political gains, so the party leaders went to the mortuary and took out the body.

According to Mr. Shiyas, five cases had been registered against him in connection with the Kothamangalam protests. The police wanted to arrest him for extraneous reasons under political pressure, he said. The court also asked the police to respond to the petitioner’s allegation that the police had registered first information reports one after the other.