Kochi Police Station Tense as Congress Workers Demand Activists Release

Kochi witnessed heightened tensions as Congress workers staged a blockade outside a police station, demanding the release of their activists arrested for displaying black flags at Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayans convoy. The protest escalated with allegations of police misbehavior and accusations of local CPIM leaders interference in denying station bail.

Tension gripped a police station in Kochi on Monday night as Congress workers staged a blockade, demanding the release of their activists arrested for displaying black flags at Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his cabinet colleagues earlier in the day. Supported by a substantial number of party workers, prominent Congress leaders, including Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden, MLAs Uma Thomas, T J Vinod, and Anwar Sadath, alleged that the police mistreated them when they arrived at the Palarivattom police station to inquire about the denial of station bail to the detained Congress workers.

Congress Leaders Allege Police Misbehavior

The Congress workers expressed their anger by burning an effigy of the chief minister in front of the police station. The party leaders asserted that the police had initially agreed to release the party workers on station bail but later reneged on their promise following the intervention of local CPIM leaders. They vowed to continue their protest until the issue was resolved.

Congress Workers Detained for Displaying Black Flags

Earlier in the day, the police had rounded up Congress workers for displaying black flags towards the convoy of the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues as they passed through the Palarivattom area. The chief minister and the ministers were in Kochi to participate in the Nava Kerala Sadas program in four assembly constituencies. The program, which features Chief Minister Vijayan and his cabinet colleagues touring the state, had officially concluded in Thiruvananthapuram on December 23.

The incident highlights the ongoing political tensions in Kerala, with the Congress party expressing strong opposition to the ruling CPIM-led government. The situation remains fluid, and further developments are expected in the coming days.