The state police chief has reportedly sought an explanation from IPS officer Chaitra Teresa John for conducting a raid at the Thiruvanathapuram District Committee office of the CPI(M).
The raid at the office of the state ruling party was reportedly to trace some of the workers of the DYFI, the CPI(M)’s youth wing. The raid was conducted on Thursday at midnight. An explanation is reportedly being sought based on a complaint by CPI(M) District Secretary Anavoor Nagappan.
On Wednesday, an altercation took place at the Medical College Police Station after some DYFI workers came to the police station to visit two accused in a POCSO (Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences) case. “The people arrested in the case are not DYFI workers, but those who came to visit them were DYFI workers. It led to an altercation with the police and the DYFI workers,” Medical College Circle Inspector Binu Kumar told TNM.
Police denied permission to meet the accused, and the workers also threw stones at the police station following the altercation. Some of the DYFI workers were booked in the police station attack case.
IPS office Chaitra conducted a raid at the CPI(M) office to trace the DYFI workers sought in the police station attack. It is reported that the DCP went ahead with the raid, though the CPI(M) leaders present tried to stop her. Though she couldn't arrest anyone in the raid, reports say that an explanation is being demanded from her. The office of State Police Chief Loknath Behera did not confirm the news to TNM that an explanation was being sought from her.
“It could be oral, but as of now it can't be said that a written explanation was sought from the officer,” a police source said.
Though some reports suggest that Chaitra Teresa John was removed from the post of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), Thiruvananthapuram city following the raid, the city commissioner refuted that claim. “She was given additional charges when DCP Aditya was assigned for Sabarimala duty. There is no transfer, she was relieved of the additional charges when the DCP rejoined after the duty,” Commissioner S Surendran said.
Chaitra Teresa John is currently SP of the Women’s Cell at the police headquarters.