SIT formed to probe assault on Youth Cong, KSU workers

T'puram: A special investigation team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the alleged assault on Youth Congress and KSU workers by the gunmen of former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan during the Nava Kerala Yatra in Alappuzha in Dec 2023.The state police have appointed a six-member team led by Alappuzha crime branch SP Shoukath Ali to probe the case, with DSP Baiju Paulose serving as the investigating officer. The order directs the team to submit a progress report within two weeks and the final report within one month. The incident sparked widespread controversy after Vijayan described his security personnel's actions as a "rescue operation." The assault took place when Youth Congress and KSU activists attempted to wave black flags at the Nava Kerala Yatra bus. In the assault, KSU district president A D Thomas and Youth Congress state secretary Ajay Juel Kuriakose were seriously injured. Thomas is now an MLA, having been elected from Alappuzha in the recent polls. According to reports and visuals that later emerged, gunmen Anil Kumar and Sandeep S allegedly got down from the chief minister's escort vehicle and assaulted the protesters. Vijayan defended their actions, stating that the security personnel were only ensuring his safety and that their intervention amounted to a "rescue operation." The incident evoked strong protests from Congress functionaries. As police initially did not take action, the Youth Congress functionaries approached the court. Following court directions, police subsequently registered a case against the gunmen. The reinvestigation move comes after chief minister V D Satheesan had indicated that the case would be reopened after assuming office. Ali's appointment as SIT head assumes added significance since he was the one who arrested the accused in the T P Chandrasekharan murder case in Kannur, which included CPM functionaries. During the first Pinarayi govt, he went on deputation to NIA. Although he returned to the state later, he was not given a posting in the law and order by the successive Pinarayi govt.