Beaten by police, Cong MP Parambil vows to take legal action

Vadakara, Oct 23 (IANS) Beaten by Kerala Police while taking part in a protest meeting early this month at his Lok Sabha constituency in Vadakara, Congress MP Shafi Parambil on Thursday vowed that his legal fight would continue and that all evidence would be handed over to the Parliament’s Privileges Committee.

Appearing before the media for the first time after he had to undergo rhinoplasty following police action on him, Parambil said there was no need for Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s “AI tool” to identify the person who assaulted him at Perambra in Kozhikode.

“It was Vadakara Control Room Circle Inspector Abhilash David who attacked me that day. Abhilash David had been suspended on January 16, 2023, over alleged links with the mafia. Reports later said he had been dismissed from service, though his profile no longer appears on the police website,” said Parambil.

He also alleged that David, along with two others who were earlier dismissed, was reinstated into service.

“The attack at Perambra was orchestrated to divert attention from the Sabarimala gold theft issue. It was a planned act by the police,” Parambil alleged.

“I was injured when a grenade exploded in the hands of a police officer. I was trying to prevent a clash, and the visuals are proof of that. Despite being beaten severely, I didn’t go to the hospital immediately, I stayed back to calm the workers,” he added.

He said even the SP, who initially denied the assault, later changed his statement.

“They claimed an AI tool would identify the culprits and action would follow, but nothing has happened. The SP stopped the probe under CPI-M’s pressure. I haven’t even been formally questioned yet. It was only after the rural SP’s video byte surfaced that any action was taken,” added the injured Congress MP.

According to him, one officer hit him twice, and a third blow was stopped by another.

“There was no stone-pelting or clash at the time. The grenade exploded in a policeman’s hand while Deputy SP Hariprasad was trying to hit me with a baton. The police later issued a circular for grenade-handling training because the Kozhikode rural police didn’t know how to use them properly. Grenades are not meant to be thrown into crowds,” he said.

Meanwhile, David denied Parambil’s claim saying he had not been dismissed but only suspended

“I was reinstated 22 months ago. I had seen media reports then claiming I was dismissed, but they were incorrect,” he said.

--IANS

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