File photo of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation council.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor R. Sugathan, who was arrested under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA), was transferred from the Poojappura Central Prison to the high-security correctional facility at Viyyur Central Prison in Thrissur.Official sources point out that the transfer was made considering the sensitive nature of the arrest. He had been remanded to judicial custody on Wednesday.The arrest has triggered a political confrontation within the city Corporation, with both the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) demanding Mr. Sugathan’s removal from the council. The BJP, however, has indicated that it will pursue legal remedies against the detention order.Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V.V. Rajesh said the party would explore legal options to challenge the arrest and the imposition of KAAPA against the councillor.CPI(M) councillor and Leader of Opposition in the Corporation, S.P. Deepak, called the accused’s continued membership in the council a disgrace to the civic body and demanded his immediate expulsion.Addressing a protest organised by LDF councillors outside the Corporation office, Mr. Deepak alleged that Mr. Sugathan had accumulated numerous criminal cases both before and after becoming a councillor. Besides, complaints regarding his alleged involvement in violent criminal activities had been raised repeatedly.He also accused the Mayor of attempting to shield the councillor despite the seriousness of the allegations. “The Corporation has never faced such an embarrassment before. A councillor detained under KAAPA should not continue as a member of this council,” Mr. Deepak said, warning that the LDF would intensify protests if immediate action was not taken. Ward-level protests will be organised on June 13 and 14, followed by a major demonstration in front of the Corporation headquarters on June 15.Against democratic spirit: UDFUDF Parliamentary Party leader in the Corporation, K.S. Sabarinadhan demanded that an emergency council meeting be convened to initiate steps to remove the Vazhottukonam ward councillor from the council. He has submitted a letter to the Corporation secretary in this regard.In a statement, Mr. Sabarinadhan added that an accused, particularly one detained under KAAPA, should not be allowed to continue as a member of the Corporation since it contradicted the institution’s traditions and democratic spirit.Meanwhile, Health Minister K. Muraleedharan, who represents the Vattiyurkavu Assembly constituency, criticised the police handling of the arrest. He questioned whether the circumstances warranted the firing of a warning shot.He opined the police should avoid creating unnecessary panic among the public, and emphasised that the sound of gunfire “should become a thing of the past and that law enforcement agencies must act in a manner that reassures citizens rather than causing fear”.However, an internal investigation into the police firing incident reportedly found no lapse on the part of the police. According to the inquiry, the Vattiyurkavu station house officer fired warning shots into the air after police personnel came under attack while attempting to carry out the arrest.Besides, the firing was in response to the assault on police officers and was intended to bring the situation under control, the probe found. Published - June 11, 2026 08:31 pm IST
