A police officer has told off a CPM leader in Left-ruled Kerala for appearing to issue veiled threats and made it clear that he is not afraid of facing the consequences for performing his duties.
Amruth Rangan, a sub-inspector in Kalamassery, Kochi, has also uploaded on social media an audio clip of his telephone conversation with CPM area secretary Zakirhussain V.A. The clip was soon widely shared, prompting Zakirhussain to deny he had threatened the officer in any way.
To make matters worse for Zakirhussain and his party, Kerala High Court on Thursday directed advocate-general C.P. Sudhakara Prasad to examine the issue and file a report on September 19.
The court took up the matter while hearing another case related to SFI violence on college campuses and asked the AG if politicians were allowed to interfere with the functioning of the police.
Amruth Rangan had acted when two groups of students of Cochin University of Science and Technology clashed on Monday. The officer had been in charge of a police team that had been posted at the campus as two rival groups were to take out processions at the same time.
While the SFI had taken out a victory rally after winning the campus polls, a group of BTech students had organised a parade as part of Onam celebrations. When the rallies came face to face, a clash ensued in which at least five SFI activists and one student from the rival group were injured.
In an attempt to defuse the situation, the police shifted Ernakulam district SFI president Amal K. Jose, who was on the campus in his official capacity, and other union members to the amenity centre where the union office is located.
It was at this time that Amruth Rangan purportedly received a phone call from Zakirhussain, who accused the officer of “misbehaving” with Jose and ignoring the fact that he was a leader.
“You could have at least behaved properly with him when he told you that he holds a leadership position,” Zakirhussain is heard in the audio clip as telling Amruth Rangan.
The officer asks him not to jump to conclusions by listening to just one side.
Zakirhussain then goes on the offensive, telling Amruth Rangan: “Although I am talking to you for the first time, I have heard several complaints about you from my political colleagues. It will be appropriate for you to keep in mind the politics of Kalamassery and behave accordingly.”
The officer, who was trying to explain the situation that forced him to temporarily shift the SFI leaders and workers to another building, loses his cool. “I have not taken a pledge to continue in this post,” Amruth Rangan is heard telling the CPM leader.
Zakirhussain reminds the officer that he is not the only sub-inspector in Kalamassery.
“That’s the difference, my friend. I will not tolerate this kind of activities. Since I wore this uniform I am ready to even die. You do what you want to do,” Amruth Rangan is heard replying.
Not one to buckle, Zakirhussain asks the officer if he is special and different from the others.
Amruth Rangan replies: “Maybe I am, since I became an SI after passing an exam. You nominate the kind of person you like (in politics). I will not sit and listen to your whims.”
Zakirhussain later challenged his detractors to show where during the conversation he had threatened the officer.
Amruth Rangan refused to comment on the episode.
SFI district president Jose accused the police of beating him up and bundling him into a van. “This very sub-inspector ignored my pleas to save our students who were being attacked.”
Jose has filed a complaint against Amruth Rangan with the district police commissioner and the home department. “Had he acted on my advice, he could have saved so many of our supporters who were attacked,” Jose said.