Protests intensified in Kerala on Wednesday following the alleged suicide of Kannur Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu.
Protesters belonging to different political parties and service organisations staged demonstrations in different parts of the state demanding strict action against P P Divya, CPI-M leader and president, Kannur district panchayat.
They demanded strict action against Divya, who made insensitive comments against Naveen Babu at his farewell meeting on Monday. They accused her of driving Naveen to take his own life after she humiliated him in her speech at his farewell meeting.
Youth Congress and BJP Yuva Morcha workers organized protest marches to Divya’s residence in Irinave, Kannur. Police have provided security at her residence to prevent any escalation.
The BJP has organized a hartal in Kannur Corporation limits on Wednesday. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) staged a protest at the Collectorate in Kannur on Wednesday. The Congress has called for a hartal in Malayalapuzha in Pathanamthitta. The revenue department employees across the state took leave demanding action against P P Divya. The block Congress committees also held statewide protests.
Meanwhile, Naveen’s brother, Praveen Babu, has lodged a complaint with the Kannur City Police, demanding a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the ADM’s death. He urged the police to register a case against Divya and petrol pump owner Prashanthan T V.
In this connection, the State Human Rights Commission has filed a case. Commission member K Baijunath directed the District Collector and the district police chief Kannur to file a report on the death within two weeks, The case was registered based on a complaint filed by human rights activist V Devadas.
Kannur Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu was found dead at his quarters at Pallikkunnu in Kannur on Tuesday. Naveen Babu, who was supposed to return to his home district of Pathanamthitta a day earlier to take charge as ADM there, was found hanging in his quarters at Pallikkunnu in Kannur on Tuesday morning.
At his farewell ceremony, Babu faced allegations of wrongdoing from District Panchayat president P P Divya, who reportedly attended the event without an official invitation.
At the farewell event held for ADM Naveen Babu yesterday, Kannur District Panchayat President Divya raised corruption allegations against him. It is suspected that this deeply upset Naveen Babu, leading him to take his own life.