Case registered against Ramesh Chennithala, 20 other Congress leaders for violating lockdown in Kerala

A case has been registered against opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala among 20 other Congress workers for violating social distancing norms and lockdown guidelines to participate in agitation in Thottappally on May 31, according to the Ambalappuzha police.

The Congress activists have been booked by the police for orgzing a protest in Thottappally, in violation of government directives on COVID-19 induced lockdown, alleging that the government was carrying out mineral sand mining in the disguise of clearing sand to avoid flooding.

"A case has been registered against opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and 20 others for violating the social distancing norms and lockdown guidelines. They have been booked under Kerala Epidemic Diseases Ordinance 2020," said Ambalappuzha police.

Former MLA and KPCC general secretary AA Shukoor, and DCC president Advocate M Liju are among the others against whom the case has been registered.While the Congress said that protests have been fueled by the government's unwillingness to discontinue the mineral sand mining, which the local people are protesting against.

However, authorities and CPM claimed that work is being carried out as removal of sand from Thottappally estuary is inevitable as it was blocking the flowing of floodwater from Kuttanad to the Arabian sea.

( With inputs from ANI )