Search has been intensified to nab 16 more suspects involved in the Balussery mob attack case in which a backward community member working for the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) was exposed to extreme degree of physical assault and mental torture. Police sources said the suspects hailing from various parts of Balussery went into hiding after the issue got State-wide attention.
A senior police officer said all suspects had been given ample time to voluntarily surrender before the investigation officers based on the incriminating evidence that has already been gathered. “Only very few complied with the call and cooperated with the investigation team. The details of others are with us, and they will be tracked soon,” he added.
Till date, 13 persons have been arrested by the investigation team led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police. Though there were allegations that a majority of the arrested were just eyewitnesses, the officers, now part of the investigation, rejected the claim and reiterated that all the arrests were made on the basis of solid evidence.
Meanwhile, some Muslim Youth League (MYL) leaders alleged that the police had been targeting workers of the organisation in order to save key suspects from a rival organisation. They also claimed that there was strong political interference to save a few influential persons and put the blame on innocent witnesses.
Countering the charges, police officials said there was no interference in the investigation. They clarified that it was hardly a political case, and that there was no room to give it a political tinge.
It was on June 23 that Jishnu Raj was allegedly subjected to physical and mental assault at Paloli Mukku in Balussery. Thirteen persons, including Indian Union Muslim League and DYFI workers, were arrested in connection with the incident. Many SDPI workers had also been quizzed as part of the probe ordered by District Police Chief (Kozhikode Rural) A. Sreenivas.
