Palakkad (Kerala) | CPI(M)-affiliated groups on Monday staged a protest at the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus station here after MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, who faces a sexual misconduct probe, flagged off a bus service.

The protest was carried out by the activists of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and the Kerala State Road Transport Employees Association (KSRTEA).

They allegedly barged into the KSRTC District Transport Officer (DTO) office here.

Mamkootathil, who recently returned to Palakkad following allegations of sexual misconduct, flagged off the KSRTC AC bus service from Palakkad to Bengaluru on Sunday night.

DYFI and BJP had threatened not to let the legislator attend any public event in Palakkad.

This was his first public appearance since the allegations surfaced.

He inaugurated the bus service at around 9.30 pm in the presence of a few KSRTC employees and Congress leaders.

The incident came to light only when photos and videos appeared on social media platforms.

However, DYFI and KSRTEA alleged that the event had been organised clandestinely.

DYFI leaders, led by district secretary KC Riyasuddeen, questioned DTO Joshy over holding the event without informing other stakeholders.

“The MLA came here secretly and inaugurated the bus service. We suspect that these officials made all arrangements for it. No one, including news reporters, was informed about such an event,” Riyasuddeen said.

KSRTEA claimed that even its members at the bus station had not been informed deliberately.

Members of both organisations held a sit-in protest at the DTO office.

Meanwhile, an audio clip of a purported conversation of Mansoor Manalanchery, a Congress councillor in Palakkad, is circulating on social media, in which he alleges that several Congress leaders in Palakkad town were also not informed about the event.

He alleged that those who attended the event were from outside Palakkad town.