Several people’s representatives, including Tirur municipal chairperson A.P. Naseema and public works standing committee chairman K.K. Salam and social worker Saleena Annara, were injured in police action as protests against the SilverLine project raged at Tirur on Wednesday.
A protest march under the banner of the United Democratic Front (UDF) was taken out in Tirur town in the evening condemning the police action. “The police are to give protection to the people, and not to harm them,” said Ms. Naseema, who was admitted to the Government District Hospital at Tirur.
Ms. Naseema had a swollen hand while Mr. Salam had marks of caning on his upper legs. He said the police beat him up even after telling them that they were people’s representatives.
Although the police had held talks with the leaders of the agitation council, the move failed and the protesters tried to prevent officials from laying survey stones.
Agitation council leaders K.K. Riyas, Haris Annara, K.K. Ummer Farook, P.T. Kamaru, Ganesh Vaderi, T.K. Mustafa, and P.P. Nishad were arrested.
Tirur’s municipal councillors led by Ms. Naseema reached the spot to express solidarity with the protesters. “The police behaved cruelly and rudely against the promises given by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the Assembly,” said Mr. Salam.
The protesters raised ‘go-back’ slogans against the police and hoisted black flags at the spot. Tension gripped the area for a while following the police action.
