Five held for attempting to block Karnataka CM Yeddyurappa's car

Five activists belonging to the ruling CPI(M) and Opposition Congress youth wings have been arrested in connection with the incidents relating to waving of black flags and attempting to block Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa’s car at nearby Pazhayangadi.

While three belong to the CPI(M)s Students Federation of India (SFI), two are from the Youth Congress, police said on Wednesday.

The five have been arrested and remanded to 14 days judicial custody, they said.

Cases under various IPC sections, including 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging of his duty and unlawful assembly, have been charged against the five.

Police had taken into custody 28 workers belonging to SFI, DYFI, Youth Congress and KSU in connection with waving of black flags, raising slogans and attempting to stop the car of Karnataka Chief Minister at Pazhayangadi on Tuesday.

Of these, five were arrested and remanded while the remaining were let off on station bail, a police official said.

The activists were protesting the “illegal” detention of Kerala journalists in Mangaluru last week while covering the death of two people in police firing during the agitations over the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act.

The BJP has alleged that it was a “planned” attack by “Communist goons”.

The activists surrounded the CMs car, raised slogans and tried to stop the vehicle. Some of them came in front of the vehicle, but were removed by police.

Yediyurappa was on his way to Madayikavu temple when the incident occurred.

On Monday too, he had faced an attempted black flag protest by Youth Congress activists in Thiruvananthapuram.

The senior BJP leader, on a personal visit to temples and religious places in Kerala, termed the attempt to block his car as a “conspiracy by vested interests” and a heinous act and said it was wrong to blame all Keralites for it.

BJP had accused the CPI(M)-led LDF government of failure to provide adequate security cover to the visiting Chief Minister and said the incident was “planned”.