RSS worker arrested for hurling bomb at Kerala police station
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 3 : An RSS worker, prime accused in a bomb attack on a police station here, was arrested here Sunday, the police said.
Praveen, a district functionary of the RSS, and his accomplice Sreejit, a sangh worker, hurled bombs at the Nedumangad Police Station during the January 3 shutdown called by Hindutva outfits protesting against the entry of two women into the Sabarimala Temple, they said.
The duo was arrested from the Thamapanoor railway station here, they added.
Police had issued a look out notice against Praveen after CCTV visuals showed him hurling at least four bombs at the police station during a clash with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) workers.
A Special Investigation team was also constituted to nab the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionary, they said.
Guarded by four policemen in civil dress, the two women, Kanakadurga (44) and Bindu (42), created history by stepping into the hallowed precincts of the hill-shrine on January 2.
A 12-hour shutdown was called by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other right-wing outfits to protest against their entry.
The Supreme Court had on September 28 lifted the ban on entry of girls and women between 10 and 50 years of age into the shrine dedicated to Lord Ayyappa.
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Mamata visits Bhabanipur EVM strong room, warns against counting irregularities
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee early Friday warned against any attempt to tamper with the counting process, hours after she visited an EVM strong room in Bhabanipur, alleging possible malpractice.
Banerjee, who emerged around 12:07 am after spending nearly four hours at the counting centre for her Bhabanipur constituency housed in Sakhawat Memorial School in south Kolkata, said only one person would be allowed inside the designated counting area.
"Either the candidate or one agent can stay upstairs. I have also suggested installation of a CCTV camera for the media," she told reporters.
Stressing the need for transparency, she said, "It is essential to maintain transparency. People’s votes must be protected. I rushed here after receiving complaints. The central forces initially did not allow me to enter."
Sounding a stern note ahead of the May 4 counting, she added, "If there is any plan to tamper with the counting process, it will not be tolerated."
On Thursday evening, Banerjee had reached the Bhabanipur Assembly segment counting centre, which houses the strong room for EVMs used in the April 29 polling, citing suspicion of tampering with the machines.
She entered the premises along with her election agent and remained inside for hours, even as Kolkata Mayor and TMC candidate from the Kolkata Port segment Firhad Hakim reached the spot but could not meet her.
"I reached here upon learning that the chief minister has arrived. But I couldn’t meet her since she was already inside the premises, exercising her right as a candidate to visit strong rooms. I wasn’t allowed there. I will not be able to confirm what exactly is transpiring inside," Hakim said.
The development coincided with protests by TMC candidates Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in north Kolkata, where they staged a sit-in alleging irregularities and possible tampering of EVMs stored in strong rooms, leading to face-offs between TMC and BJP supporters.
Earlier in a video message, Banerjee had urged party leaders, workers and polling agents to maintain a 24-hour vigil on EVM strong rooms, alleging that the BJP could attempt to tamper with the machines before counting begins.
Her remarks come amid heightened political tension in the state following a fiercely contested Assembly election, with parties closely monitoring arrangements and raising concerns over transparency.
