NILACKAL / SABARIMALA: Saturday’s hurriedly called dawn-to-dusk hartal to protest Hindu Aikyavedi leader K P Sasikala’s midnight arrest had barely ended, before the state government allowed the police to react once again in knee-jerk fashion by taking BJP state general secretary leader K Surendran into preventive custody at Nilackal when he was on his way to offer darshan at Sabarimala Surendran and three others arrived at Nilackal at around 7 pm, ready to board a KSRTC bus that would take them to Pamba and further to sannidhanam. A police team led by SP Yatish Chandra blocked their way and said they should come back on Sunday morning. Surendran and the three men had irrumudi kettu (holy offerings) and proper pre-booked passes for darshan. They also were willing to submit themselves to frisking and other security checks. But the police informed him that due to the tense situation prevailing at Sabarimala, he would have to go back or they would have to arrest him.“It is my fundamental right. I will go even if you open fire”, Surendran told the cops. A scuffle ensued, and the police forced Surendran and the others into a police vehicle and took them to Chittaar police station about 50 kms away from Sabarimala.Along with Surendran, BJP Thrissur district president A Nagesh and two other BJP activists were also arrested by police. Chittar police registered an FIR against K Surendran slapping charges under CrPC 151 and IPC 353. While CrPC 151 deals with ‘preventive detention’ for protecting law and order, IPC 353 is about using criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty. Since 353 is a non-bailable section, the court can remand Surendran to judicial custody.The arrests provoked BJP to call for a ‘protest day’ on Sunday. As part of the protest, BJP workers would block vehicles on all state highways. “Now, the situation in Sabarimala has turned dangerous. The seriousness of the issue has been communicated to Union home minister Rajnath Singh”, said BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai.Following the arrests, BJP workers organised protest marches in various parts of the state. The march to the government secretariat in the state capital was dispersed by police using water cannons. Late at night, devotees began Namajapa protest in front of Chittar police station where Surendran is being housed.

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