Kerala Congress leader detained after allegedly blocking CM Satheesan’s convoy

A Congress leader was detained in Thiruvananthapuram after his group allegedly stopped the convoy of Keralam Chief Minister VD Satheesan as he travelled to Chempazhanthy for an event marking the birth anniversary of social reformer Sree Narayana Guru.

Video footage of the incident, which according to an NDTV report, took place on Friday (August 29), shows several people stopping the convoy on the road. The group had organised a separate Sree Narayana Guru programme at Chenthi and wanted Satheesan to attend their function.

Heated argument

The report further stated that the Chief Minister remained inside his vehicle for around 30 seconds before getting out and speaking with Anil Kumar, a Thiruvananthapuram District Congress Committee leader also known as Chenthi Ani. Their conversation quickly turned into a heated argument. Satheesan later returned to his vehicle and continued towards his scheduled event.

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Satheesan's office said the Chenthi programme was not included in his official itinerary.

Police register case against leader

Police subsequently registered a case against Kumar under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The charges include wrongful restraint, criminal intimidation and using force to prevent a public servant from carrying out official duties.

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"The accused allegedly confronted the chief minister in an aggressive manner and loudly questioned him as to why he was not attending the event despite it being an accepted programme. When asked to refrain from being aggressive, the accused allegedly threatened, What will you do if I get angry?, thereby publicly insulting the CM and obstructing the official duties of police personnel accompanying the convoy," stated the FIR.

Kumar denies blocking convoy

Denying the allegation, Kumar said that he had not blocked Satheesan's vehicle. He also criticised the Chief Minister's conduct during their exchange, comparing the confrontation to "college students fighting".

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"It is part of the party's group politics. Groupism is the problem," he told reporters while being taken to hospital for a medical examination.

Congress workers involved in the Chenthi programme later produced a photograph showing them meeting Satheesan at the Secretariat several months earlier, when they had invited him to their events.

Congress workers question arrest

DCC member Suhail Shajahan objected to Kumar's arrest after meeting him at Sreekaryam police station. He said Kumar had worked for the party for years and did not believe he had insulted the chief minister.

"Regardless of which group or faction they belong to, as a person, I am personally saddened to see a Congress worker like Anil, who risked his life for the party and worked tirelessly for it, get arrested in this manner," Shajahan told reporters.