INTUC men attack family over Nokkukooli

 A day after the Kerala High Court criticised the state government and the police for not acting tough on the practice of demanding nokkukooli, a group of INTUC workers here attacked a family in Mannuthy in connection with a nokkukooli case, on Wednesday. A case has been registered against 15 INTUC workers for the same.


The workers attacked Firoz, of Mannuthy, at his home and also beat up his father, mother and brother, who were all present there at that time, over the nokkukooli issue. They also damaged the house and furniture, said Mannuthy police.


According to Mannuthy Sub Inspector K T Premjan, a team of INTUC workers had a verbal duel with a Veettikkunnu resident Shobha on Saturday for not giving nokkukooli to unload cement bricks at her workplace on Friday. On the same day, they had beaten up Shobha’s contractor, Joy, for unloading it at Shobha’s place without their consent. On Monday morning, Shobha’s family settled the nokkukooli issue by giving `1,500 to the INTUC workers. They had initially demanded `2,400. However, Shobha’s family chose to not register a case with the police in order to avoid further issues. Firoz, on Tuesday, had approached the INTUC workers and questioned them over the issue.


The Kerala High Court bench on Tuesday had observed that if the state government could not suppress such an illegal practice, it would be a matter of constitutional shame.