Sabarimala protests: BJP leader K Surendran denied bail
Pathanamthitta/Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 24: A court in Kerala on Saturday denied bail to BJP state general secretary K Surendran in a case of alleged involvement in violent protests at Sabarimala earlier this month.
Surendran was arrested earlier this week from Nilackal, the base camp of Sabarimala, after he refused to go back despite a request from the police.
He was produced before a local court at Ranni in Pathanamthitta and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days. Later he was granted conditional bail.
Subsequently, he was arrested in the case relating to violence at Sannidhanam when a 52-year-old woman, who had come for the 'choroonu' (rice feeding ceremony) of her grandchild, was blocked and allegedly attacked.
While denying him bail Saturday, the court, however, allowed Surendran to talk to his family members through phone in the presence of the jail superintendent.
Police were also granted permission to question the BJP leader for one hour this evening.
Sabarimala had witnessed violent protests from a section of devotees over the state government's decision to implement the September 28 order of the Supreme Court, allowing entry of women of all age groups into the shrine.
The court denied bail to the BJP leader, saying that the case was related to Section 308 of the Indian Penal Code (attempt to commit culpable homicide) and also has conspiracy charges.
Meanwhile, BJP leader M T Ramesh courted controversy Saturday after allegedly threatening police over Surendran's arrest.
"Until Surendran comes out of jail, we will not allow any policeman to come out on the road from their station," Ramesh said at a protest meeting at Kozhikode.
There were reports suggesting that V Muraleedharan, MP, might approach BJP national leaders on the issue of Surendran's arrest.
Meanwhile, Rahul Easwar, President of Ayyappa Dharma Sena, who was arrested following protests at the hill shrine and later released, was not allowed to go to the sannidhanam (the main temple complex).
He said he would move the high court and come to the shrine to offer prayers.
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Kerala Assembly polls: Trends after 9 am show UDF continues to lead
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): As counting of EVM votes polled in the April 9 Kerala Assembly elections commenced, trends after 9 am show the Congress-led UDF leading in the state.
The UDF was ahead in close to 90 seats, while the CPI(M)-led LDF was leading in over 40 seats with the BJP-headed NDA in the front in around 5 assembly constituencies as EVM votes began to be counted, according to news reports.
As per Election Commission figures, Congress is ahead in 10 seats, CPI(M) in 5, CPI in 2, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) 2 and IUML, RJD and Kerala Congress (KEC) with one each, among others.
The trends appear to support the UDF claim that it would get a huge majority. PTI
If the situation continues, the UDF stand to claim power in the state.
