Even as the Left Democratic Front in Kerala is celebrating the second anniversary of the government, the CPI (M) was left red-faced after the Goa police arrested one of its local leaders in Thiruvananthapuram in a sexual harassment case.
The arrested man has been identified as Vinod Kumar (45), Secretary of the CPI (M) Mangalapuram Area Committee.
The arrest, which was made on Tuesday, was done based on a complaint filed by a 37-year-old woman. Vinod Kumar has been sent to judicial custody.
“He has been charged with Sections 354 (a) and 506 of the IPC (for assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty and criminal intimidation respectively). Both of them were staying at a hotel nearby. The accused had lured the woman, brought her to Goa on the promise of arranging a fake visa to Portugal. The woman came to the police station and filed a complaint after the accused allegedly tried to harass her,” Margao Sub Inspector Fakeel Nayak told TNM.
Nayak added that they have been collecting evidence based on the complaint.
Vinod Kumar and the woman were reportedly staying in separate rooms at the hotel, and the woman resisted when he allegedly tried to barge into her room.
The woman is said to have objected loudly, calling attention to what was happening. She has also alleged that the accused threatened her not to inform the police.
Meanwhile, the Nemon police in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday arrested Sadhu, 51, a CITU worker, on a complaint of child sexual abuse. He was arrested from Pravachamblam in Thiruvananthapuram under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO). Nemon Sub Inspector Saji told TNM that he is a load worker affiliated to the CITU.
Manorama reports that the mother of the girl died years ago and that the incident happened when the father was not at home.
CPI (M) District Secretary Anavoor Nagappan told TNM that Vinod Kumar has been sacked from the Area Secretary post and that he has also been suspended from the party membership.
“He will be ousted from the party if the allegation is proved correct,” he said, adding that the complaint against the CITU worker has not come to the notice of the party as yet.