The Crime Branch investigation into the disruption of Thrissur Pooram has named eight people as accused, including office-bearers of Thiruvambady Devaswom, with the state police chief seeking government sanction to prosecute them.
State police chief Ravada A Chandrasekhar forwarded the investigation report to the Kerala government after receiving it from the Crime Branch last week. The report was submitted around eight months after the investigation was completed, according to the Times of India report.
The case was registered on the basis of a government order. The charges reported against the accused include attempting to cause a riot, inciting rebellion against the government and promoting enmity between different groups. The reported inclusion of the enmity charge gives the case significance beyond a dispute over the management of a festival, as it concerns alleged conduct that could affect relations between communities.
According to sources cited in the report, the investigation team’s principal finding is that prominent office-bearers of Thiruvambady Devaswom were behind the alleged disruption of the Pooram. The report also states that the accused are believed to have links with Congress, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The alleged disruption became a politically contentious issue because Thrissur Pooram is one of Kerala’s largest public cultural events. Its conduct involves religious institutions, government agencies, police and large numbers of visitors, making decisions around access, crowd management and public order an important part of the administration of the festival.
The delay between the completion of the investigation and the submission of the report to the police chief had fuelled allegations that the findings were being withheld because of political and local pressure. The report states that the delay was also alleged to have prolonged the investigation and postponed further legal action.
The allegations against the named individuals have not been established in court. The police report is an investigative finding, while the accused will have the opportunity to respond through the legal process. Prosecution cannot proceed under the relevant provisions until the required government sanction is granted.
The immediate next step is for the state government to consider the request for sanction. If approval is provided, the authorities are expected to proceed with filing the chargesheet under the applicable provisions. The report does not establish when the government will take a decision on the sanction request.
