Koothuparamba firing

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The Koothuparambu firing (

The gunfire happened after the inauguration of the co-operative Urban Bank's evening branch. The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) had organised a protest against the educational policy – granting government quota seats to the management – of the then United Democratic Front government led by the Congress. Police fired their weapons when the protesters blocked minister M. V. Raghavan. The DYFI said their action was "a protest against Raghavan, Communist Marxist Party (CMP) leader and Kerala’s Minister, for starting the medical college as a self-financing institution at Pariyaram, Kannur, and "Granting government quota seats to the management."^{[citation needed]}

The police stated that they fired at the crowd for both the protection of the minister as well as public and private property.^{[citation needed]} Five DYFI activists were killed, and six people were injured. Following the firing, criminal proceedings were brought against people including the then sub-divisional magistrate Antony, DySP Abdul Hakkim Bathery, and constables P. K. Lukose, Sivadasan, and Balachandran. They were charged with murder, attempted murder and conspiracy by a magistrate court based on a private complaint.

The Kerala High Court quashed the murder charges in June 2012 against deputy collector TT Antony, IPS officer Ravada Chandrasekhar, and four other police officials connected with the firing. The court dismissed the case on the grounds that the necessary government permission to prosecute public officials had not been obtained in the case.

Cause and the incident

Contrary to the advice given by the district administration, on 25 November 1994, Raghavan made plans to visit and attend the inauguration of the evening branch of the Co-operative Urban Bank, located in the Alakkandy Complex at Koothuparamba – Tellicherry Road, Kannur District.

The first firing occurred in the proximity of the town hall, on the orders of the

After the firing, members of the police used their lathi to subdue the crowd. More than a hundred people—mostly protesters—were injured.

Victims

The Koothuparamba firing resulted in the immediate death of five activists from the DYFI. The five people were K.K. Rajeevan, Madhu, Shibulal, Babu, and Roshan. Six more activists were injured at the hands of the police.

The shooting was argued to be unprovoked by the Solicitor General. Since the protesters did not pose a threat to the life of the Minister, it was argued that the police over-reacted and the shooting was unnecessary. Many articles^{[vague][citation needed]} consider these students martyrs for sacrificing their lives.

Case proceedings

After the two firings,

Subsequently, there were a long series of legal arguments, and a fresh investigation took place—this time by the Kerala State Police rather than the C.B.I.

See also

• List of cases of police brutality in India

References

• TNN (26 June 2012). "Koothuparamba firing: HC quashes murder charges against officials". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2012.

• ^[1]
• India. Supreme Court of India. T.T.Antony vs State Of Kerala & Ors on 12 July 2001. By S. S. Quadri. N.p., 12 July 2001. Web. 15 Aug. 2012. <http://indiankanoon.org/doc/1974324/>.
• L. J. Perry (July–September 2006). "Neo-liberal Labor Market Reforms and Work Stoppages: Comparisons of India, Indonesia, the United States and Australia". AMDISA Secretariat.
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