Woman SI suspended in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala government Monday announced its decision to suspend a woman Sub-inspector in a bid to end the LDF protest over alleged police excesses on two women MLAs during a march in connection with the Suryanelli gang-rape issue. State Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan informed the House that government examined the ADGP probe report it received and has decided to suspend Sub-Inspector K K Ramani, who was the `duty leader` when the incident happened.

Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan, who raised the issue, said he welcomed the government`s decision through it came late. CPI-M-led LDF had disrupted proceedings for four-days resulting in adjournment of the House ahead of schedule, demanding action against police personnel who allegedly roughed up two CPI MLAs Geeta Gopi and E S Bijimol. The incident occurred on February 6 when pro-left women activists staged a dhara before the assembly complex demanding fresh probe against Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P J Kurien in the Suryanelli gangrape case in the wake of new revelations and two women MLAs joined the march. The case came into focus recently after the Supreme Court quashed the Kerala High court order acquitting 35 accused in the case and ordered a retrial to be completed in six months. The case relates to a girl from Suryanelli in Idukki district of Kerala being abducted in Jan 1996 and transported to various places and sexually exploited by different persons. Kurien`s name figured again in connection with the case recently after the victim wrote to her advocate to explore the possibility of filing a review plea in the Supreme Court, seeking a fresh probe against him. Kurien has maintained he has been cleared of the charges by the apex court. PTI