By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Kozhikode: After a week-long communal riots in Thuneri that claimed the life of a 19-year-old boy and left nearly 70 houses gutted in arson, the strife-torn Nadapuram and its surroundings are somewhat calm now. However, the human sufferings triggered by the incidents have not seen an end yet.
Calling on the public to take part in the government initiatives to bring lasting peace to violence-affected Thuneri and surrounding areas, a Cabinet-led all-party delegate, led by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy visited the area on Monday and Tuesday.
Kerala CM Oommen Chandy and Minister for Social Justice M K Muneer visiting the one of the houses, set ablaze during the violence at Nadapuram in Kozhikode district.
The Chief Minister announced compensation amount to the family of Shibin, who was killed by the alleged IUML activists. Shibin’s father Bhaskaran received a cheque worth 25 lakh from the chief minister.
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty, Social Welfare Minister M K Muneer and Agriculture Minister K P Mohanan were also present. MLAs E K Vijayan, K K Lathika, District Collector C A Latha, CPM district secretary P Mohanan and Congress district president K C Abu also accompanied the team.
The team later met the youths who are undergoing treatment after sustaining injuries during the attack. The team also assured them that they would get compensation. Later, the delegates visited the houses which were set ablaze during the violence and heard the people’s grievances.
“The government will also collect donations from the public and other organisations to raise funds for the same. NRI businessman C K Menon has contributed `1 crore to the fund. The KPCC has also contributed an amount of `10 lakh for the purpose,” Chandy said.
Chandy also said that there were deliberate attempts by some organisations to create communal conflicts and communal polarization in the region over the issue. Stringent action would be taken against them, he said.
Responding to a query regarding the alleged police inaction during the violent incidents, the chief minister said that a detailed investigation would be conducted into the matter later, after completing the on-going probe, adding that the police would probe whether there was any conspiracy behind the murder and the arson that followed.
At the meeting, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said that as many as 27 people were arrested in connection with the arson and yet another 14 were nabbed in connection with the murder.
A committee, under the chairmanship of Minister M K Muneer, was also formed to speed up the activities. Talking to the reporters M K Muneer alleged police inaction and serious flaws during the violence. Action would be taken against the police after a detailed enquiry, the minister said.
Considering the demands of the leaders of political parties, it was also decided to hold an adalat to collect the details of the documents and certificates which were set ablaze in the riots. The district collector will convene the adalat at the taluk conference hall on February 15.
Ministers P K Kunhalikutty, M K Muneer, Mullappally Ramachandran MP, MLAs E K Vijayan, C K Nanu, K K Lathika, C Moyinkutty, Elamaram Kareem, representatives of political parties – P Mohanan (CMP), K C Abu (Congress), M A Razak(IUML) and Sathyan Mokeri (CPI) were also present.
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