The Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted to re-investigate the controversial “rescue operation” that took place in Alappuzha during the 2023 Nava Kerala Sadas, has submitted an interim report before the Alappuzha Judicial First Class Magistrate Court stating that five policemen were involved in the unlawful assault on Youth Congress and KSU protesters.
According to the SIT, gunman Anil, security officer Sandeep, and policemen Shyju, Vipin, and Arun, who were part of the escort team of the then Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, have been identified as the accused.
The SIT submitted the interim report to the magistrate court after collecting CCTV footage and eyewitness statements. However, no formal charges have yet been filed against the five accused policemen. The SIT stated that charges would be filed after further investigation.
Recommendations for departmental action against the accused officers are also expected to be forwarded to the state police chief soon.
The interim report stated that while the protesters were already in the custody of the local police, members of Pinarayi Vijayan’s security team allegedly got out of their vehicle and assaulted KSU and Youth Congress workers with lathis, striking them on the head and causing serious injuries.
It has also been reported that the Home Department allegedly suppressed a report submitted earlier by former Alappuzha Superintendent of Police Chaitra Teresa, who had recommended action against the gunmen involved in the incident. Her report reportedly stated that the conduct of the officers had brought disrepute to the police force.
Despite the SP’s findings, gunmen Anilkumar and Sandeep were allegedly protected, while Chaitra Teresa was subsequently transferred from Alappuzha. Allegations have also surfaced that corrections were made to the SP’s report on the directions of the then ADGP in charge of law and order in an attempt to shield the accused officers.
On December 15, 2023, Youth Congress and KSU activists, including current Alappuzha MLA A. D. Thomas, were allegedly assaulted after waving black flags at the Nava Kerala Sadas convoy.
The previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government had strongly defended the actions of the Chief Minister’s security personnel and controversially described the incident as a “rescue operation.”
Several youth leaders, including KSU district president A.D. Thomas and Youth Congress state secretary Ajay Jewel Kuriakose, sustained serious injuries in the incident. A.D. Thomas was later elected MLA from Alappuzha in the 2026 Assembly elections.
Although the Alappuzha Magistrate Court had ordered a re-investigation on November 8, 2024, rejecting a Crime Branch report that had cleared the accused gunmen, the previous administration allegedly did not act on the order.
The new Congress-led UDF government decided earlier this week to reopen the investigation into the incident, which had triggered widespread political controversy in Kerala during the LDF government’s Nava Kerala Sadas outreach programme.