Court slams police for slapping attempt to murder charges on KSU activists who threw shoe

A DAY after four KSU student activists were arrested after a shoe was thrown on a luxury bus carrying Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his state cabinet during their ongoing tour of the state, a court on Monday slammed the Kerala Police for charging these protesters with an attempt to murder, report online news sites quoting IANS.

A local court at Perumbavoor near here came down heavily on the police when it produced the four KSU activists after their arrest was recorded.

How can attempt to murder charges be put in this case, when even the shoe that was thrown did not fall inside the bus, it asked, adding that the police are duty bound to provide security and safety not just to ministers but also to the people.

On Sunday evening, when Vijayan's bus was in Ernakulam district and moving to a meeting venue the KSU protesters threw a shoe at the moving bus and soon after that not only did the police attack the protesters, but CPI-M workers also joined hands with the police to thrashed them.

The court further slammed the police and asked where are those people who took the law into their hands and brutally attacked the KSU activists.

As the accused said that they were beaten up by the police, the court asked the police who gave them the right to do that and asked the four accused to submit a complaint in writing.

However, on Monday morning, Vijayan defended the act of the police and the party workers and said they were just doing their duty, while Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan accused him to now turning sadistic and enjoying the spectacle when he saw protesters being brutally attacked by a criminal ‘gang’ comprising of police and CPI-M workers.