KOZHIKODE: Even after a lapse of 19 months, no action has been taken against the hooligans who unleashed violence on the forest offices and the police at Thamarassery on November 17, 2013 in connection with the anti-Kasturirangan report protests.
The discontent is brewing among forest officials over police’s failure to take strict action against those involved in a series of cases including arson.
A section of forest officials suspects that there was a deliberate attempt to withdraw the cases as some high-profile priests and Congress leaders were involved in the attacks.
None of the police officials whom this newspaper contacted were able to give a clear idea about the progress of the cases.
Voicing displeasure over the slow-pedaling of the investigation, Kozhikode divisional forest officer Amandeep Kaur said the department had submitted all necessary documents, pieces of evidence and other reports to the police in time.
“But I don’t know why the police is inactive,” she told DC. “I am not answerable for the delay”.
A proper charge sheet is yet to be submitted in court, it is learnt. Police officers feigned ignorance about the progress of the case.
Thamarassery DySP R. Sreekumar told DC that he was “not at all aware of the investigation” as many cases were investigated by various officials.
More than 50 incidents of attacks against forest officials and staff were reported during the agitation in Kozhikode, Kannur and Wayanad districts.
The intensity of the attacks was at its worst in Kozhikode district and Thamarassery was the focal point.
The forest offices at Peruvannamoozhy, Poozhythod, Thusha-ragiri, Anakkampoyil and Thiruvambadi were attacked by the agitators, mainly involved in illegal timber, quarry and sand mining business.
