Kochi: An eviction drive in Ernakulam district witnessed tense moments on Wednesday when it was resisted by the local Dalit residents, leading to police using water cannons and arresting and removing protestors. Hundreds of police personnel in riot gear were deployed in the area to assist the advocate commission members who arrived to evict the residents based on a court order.
However, the protestors prevented them from entering the area to reach the houses that were to be evicted, and after a several-hour-long stand-off, the police used water cannons and arrested the agitators, which included women and CPI(M) activists.
Subsequently, the advocate commission team, along with police personnel, moved towards the houses to be evicted, but were again stopped by the residents.
Thereafter, the commission and the police moved out of the area in view of the intense protest by the residents, reportedly following the intervention by the new UDF government.
One of the commission members told reporters that they only attempted to implement the court orders, and they will again try to do so.
“We did not provoke anyone or harm anyone. The Supreme Court orders have to be implemented, and anyone obstructing them has to be removed by the police,” the commission member said.
The eviction drive at Pariyathukavu has been a contentious, ongoing dispute for years and several attempts have been reportedly made in the past, but unsuccessfully.
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