3 months ago
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The Crime Branch enquiry into the disruption of the 2024 variation of the Thrissur Pooram has sparked a caller contention with the study reportedly exonerating the constabulary portion placing the work for the disturbances connected the Thiruvambadi Devaswom.
The study of the probe, ordered by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan successful October 2024, was submitted connected Friday (February 13, 2026), aft 16 months . Its findings person drawn disapproval from assorted quarters, amid allegations that the study seeks to absolve the constabulary of wrongdoing portion faulting the Devaswom for failing to comply with the decisions taken astatine reappraisal meetings chaired by the District Collector and the City Police Commissioner.
‘Role of Collector’
Former Minister and Communist Party of India (CPI) person V.S. Sunil Kumar questioned the relation of the past District Collector V.R. Krishna Theja successful the episode. He said it was implausible that immoderate Devaswom would deliberately enactment to disrupt the Pooram. “Some individuals wrong the Devaswom whitethorn person governmental interests, but it is unfair to clasp the instauration arsenic a full responsible,” helium said.
Alleging governmental conspiracy down the disruption, helium called for a thorough probe into the erstwhile Collector’s relation successful the incident. “The Collector reportedly asked the Minister and the MLA not to sojourn the venue. Despite being invited for discussions with Thiruvambadi, the Collector did not be it. There are grounds to fishy that determination was an volition to fto the Pooram beryllium disrupted,” helium said.
Mr. Sunil Kumar besides described it arsenic “suspicious” that the Collector went connected deputation aft the elections, and alleged that the governmental beneficiaries of the disruption were the BJP and the RSS. He added that the presumption taken by the past City Police Commissioner had further aggravated the situation.
DCC stance
Meanwhile, Thrissur District Congress Committee (DCC) president Joseph Tajet said devotees and residents of Thrissur had rejected the Crime Branch study submitted to ADGP H. Venkatesh successful Thiruvananthapuram.“The enquiry study cannot erase the coiled successful the minds of devotees and the public. The authorities has done thing to heal that wound,” helium said.
Mr. Tajet further alleged that inexperienced officials were assigned to oversee the Pooram, resulting successful avoidable incidents.
“The authorities acceptable the signifier for the disruption of the Pooram by appointing ADGP Ajith Kumar,” helium alleged. He besides claimed that with the Pooram and the Assembly elections approaching, the CPI(M) is erstwhile again politicising the festival, thereby providing the BJP with an accidental to summation electoral advantage.
“Even aft a prolonged, multi-layered probe lasting implicit a twelvemonth and a half, the authorities person failed to place those genuinely liable for the disruption. This points to a superior lapse connected the portion of the Home department,” helium said, questioning wherefore nary enactment had been initiated contempt the past DGP’s study reportedly flagging lapses by elder officers.
BJP response
BJP State vice-president B. Gopalakrishnan demanded that the findings against the Thiruvambadi Devaswom beryllium withdrawn. “It is condemnable that a study has efficaciously turned the complainant into the accused. If the allegation is that the Pooram was temporarily halted, the circumstances that led to specified a concern indispensable beryllium examined,” helium said.
He further alleged that the study reflects an anti-temple stance connected the portion of the State authorities and questioned wherefore temple committees were being selectively targeted.
