CPI functionary threatens revenue officials in Devikulam

CPI leader threatens revenue officials during encroachment eviction in Devikulam, Idukki, sparking controversy and viral video.

A local leader of the Communist Party of India (CPI) publicly threatened revenue officials during an encroachment eviction at Devikulam in Idukki last week.

According to officials, Ganeshan, a resident of Devikulam, encroached on five cents of government land and had erected a shed there.

When a special team of officials reached the spot on June 14 for evicting the encroachment, CPI Devikulam local secretary Arogyadas and some others reached the spot and allegedly threatened the officials.

A video of the incident went viral on social media. In the video, he is seen warning the officials that he had earlier transferred a revenue official who evicted an encroachment in Devikulam and they would face a similar situation.

However, the officials completed the eviction process and removed the shed from the land.

Department sources said the eviction drive was conducted on a directive of the Idukki Collector. “The High Court had directed the Revenue department to evict encroachments on government land in Munnar. Based on the court’s directives, the special officer led a revenue team to remove encroachments from government lands in Munnar,” said an official.

However, the CPI leader claimed that he questioned what termed the double standards of revenue officials, evicting small encroachments and ignoring major ones in Munnar.