Women fearful of approaching police in Kerala, says Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan

Kerala's Leader of the Opposition accuses Chief Minister of overseeing unsafe environment for women, alleging criminal administration.

Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan has said that Kerala, under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s watch, was “no longer a safe place for women.”

Inaugurating the Congress’ march to the Secretariat here on Friday (September 6, 2024), Mr. Satheesan accused Mr. Vijayan of “lording over a criminal administration wherein women were fearful of approaching the police.”

He sought to rest his case against the government on a woman’s startling “disclosure” that three police officers in Malappuram district had exploited her in 2022.

“The survivor has publicly stated that one of the officers had cautioned her against speaking out by claiming that Mr. Vijayan was his uncle”, Mr. Satheesan said.

Mr. Satheesan said Mr. Vijayan had handed over the police reins to a “criminal clique” operating out of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).

He said Left Democratic Front (LDF) Independent legislator P.V. Anvar had recently “validated” the Congress’ accusations against the CMO.

“Mr. Anvar has repeatedly assailed the CMO, Mr. Vijayan’s political secretary P. Sasi, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), M.R. Ajith Kumar, and former District Police Chief of Malappuram (and later Pathanamthitta) Sujith Das. The ruling front legislator has accused them of criminality, corruption, nepotism, using plainclothes squads to ambush gold smugglers for the contraband, murders and disappearances”, Mr. Satheesan said.