Minister to Review Police Action Over Kochi Solidarity Rally for Delhi Student Protests

Security Review of Political Assembly

Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala announced on Saturday, July 25, that his office will investigate the legal grounds for a criminal case recently filed against participants of a solidarity meet in Kochi. The event, which took place on Wednesday, July 22, was organized to support student-led demonstrations in Delhi against the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) question paper leaks.

Addressing the media during the anti-drug initiative Operation Toofan: The Narco Hunt, Chennithala expressed reservation regarding the police intervention. "Usually, cases are not registered over such incidents. We will examine what happened," the Minister stated, responding to mounting criticism from political groups, including the CPI(M).

Criminal Charges and Identifications

The Ernakulam Town South police initiated legal proceedings against Vignesh G. Pillai, the reported organizer, along with 99 other identifiable individuals. The group met near Central Park in Panampilly Nagar to show support for the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Authorities filed charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, citing the following violations:

• Obstruction of public way
• Disobedience to lawful orders
• Unlawful assembly

High-profile activists and cultural figures attended the event, including Hirandas Murali, the professional rapper known as Vedan. The subsequent police action has triggered a debate over the right to assembly and the proportionality of law enforcement responses to student-focused advocacy.

Organ Racket and Cybercrime Probes

Beyond the protest inquiry, Chennithala confirmed the establishment of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to dismantle an alleged organ donation syndicate. Following May raids and reports of hospital-linked rackets, District Police Chief (Ernakulam Rural) K.S. Sudarshan will head the new unit. The Minister vowed that the SIT would explore every angle of the illegal trade.

Furthermore, the Minister addressed a disinformation campaign targeting former minister P.K. Sreemathy. The senior CPI(M) leader was the victim of a fake social media claim regarding the illicit receipt of a deceased MLA's family pension. Chennithala confirmed that the Chief Minister referred the complaint to the Cyber wing, led by IG P. Prakash, for a formal investigation into the origins of the smear campaign.

Source: The Hindu — Cities