Tahsildar submits report on Kozhikode police action

October 11, 2011: Kozhikode tahsildar Premraj has on Tuesday submitted a report on the incident in which Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Radhakrishna Pillai opened fire on protesting Students Federation of India (SFI) activists at Kozhikode Govt. engineering college on Monday.

The report submitted before the district collector clearly points out that the tahsildar had not given any direction to open police firing to disperse the agitated mob. The report indicates that he was not entrusted with the duty of Executive Magistrate and that he had reached the spot as per the direction of the district collector. 

 

Report suggests that action is most likely to be initiated against ACP Radhakrishna Pillai in connection with the issue.

According to preliminary inquiry reports the ACP had fired his service revolver on the SFI activists who were staging demonstration in connection with the Nirmal madhav issue, violating all norms. It is reported that the police officer is most likely to face an action in connection with the issue.

The protest in Kozhikode had not created a situation that warranted police firing. If there exists a situation this must be informed to the Judicial Magistrate. The Tahsildar’s report points out that the ACP had not sought an approval from him.

Nirmal Madhav had allegedly got admission to fifth semester at the intervention of Kerala Higher Education Secretary violating admission norms. The SFI had launched a series of agitations against his admission on the ground that Nirmal was not eligible for admission to the college as he was a student of a self-financing college.

The protest march held by the SFI to oust Nirmal who was given admission breaching admission norms which turned violent. The police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the agitated mob.

Following the police action, SFI state secretary P Biju sustained severe injuries to his head. The protest was held outside the campus and the protestors pelted stones at the police and in turn they used grenades and tear gas shells to disperse the protesting activists.