Thiruvananthapuram: In a dramatic turn of events, former DGP and current city corporation BJP councillor R Sreelekha led a vociferous protest against police outside Vattiyoorkavu police station on Tuesday night.Sreelekha, who represents Sasthamangalam ward in the corporation, spearheaded the agitation along with Mahila Morcha activists. She openly criticised the police, accusing them of acting in a partisan manner and targeting BJP workers. The protest comes in the wake of a recent clash between BJP and CPM workers at Nettayam, following which several BJP activists were arrested. Sreelekha alleged that the arrested individuals were subjected to custodial violence and demanded strict action against the police officers involved. She earlier warned the police commissioner and the state DGP that she would stage a protest if action was not taken. While stating that she still believes in the integrity of the police force, she termed the alleged violence as a sign of deterioration during the election period. Sreelekha further accused the police, particularly officers at Vattiyoorkavu, of carrying out ‘one-sided and brutal’ actions against NDA workers. She claimed that BJP and Sangh Parivar members were being selectively targeted and subjected to severe assault. According to her, even those who tried to protect police officers during earlier incidents were now being falsely implicated in cases. She also alleged that a temple in Nettayam was vandalised during police action, with significant damage caused to its premises before arrests were made, calling the actions ‘barbaric’. Sreelekha, the first woman DGP in Kerala, retired from service before entering politics. Her public protest and sloganeering against her former colleagues drew widespread attention. Meanwhile, C R Biju, general secretary of Police Officers’ Association, downplayed the incident. In a social media post, he said retired police officers raising slogans against the force should not be taken seriously, adding that such individuals do not deserve to be regarded as former police officers. The protest unfolded against the backdrop of heightened political tensions in Vattiyoorkavu during the election period, further intensifying the ongoing conflict between rival political groups.
