Kochi | A Munsiff court here on Thursday ordered the eviction of Dalit families living at Pariyathukavu near Kizhakkambalam by May 23, police said.
The order of the Perumbavoor Munsiff Court came following a report submitted before it by an advocate commission, which stated that efforts to evict the families on Wednesday had failed due to strong opposition from local residents.
On Wednesday, a large number of police personnel in riot gear were deployed at the site to assist the advocate commission in evicting 7–8 Dalit families allegedly living illegally on around 2.5 acres of land, the ownership of which lies with a private individual as per a Supreme Court order.
However, the eviction drive turned violent as residents resisted the commission’s attempt to enter the area, forcing the police to use water cannons and arrest several individuals to disperse the protestors.
The police later also registered a case against 50 identifiable persons who allegedly obstructed public servants from discharging their duties.
The case has been registered under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for the offence of preventing a public servant from discharging duty, an officer of Thadiyittaparambu police station said.
The CPI(M) has intervened in the matter and, on Thursday, set up a protection committee in the area to ensure the safety of the families from any further police action.
Senior CPI(M) leader P Rajeev, who visited the area, told reporters that the previous LDF government had intended to grant land rights, in accordance with rules, to the people living there after the survey proceedings at the site were completed.
“However, the government changed before the survey proceedings could be completed, resulting in the use of force, which is condemnable. That is why a protection committee was constituted here.
“Earlier, we could protect them without any committee, but now the situation has changed, and only a public protest can provide them safety,” he claimed.
He urged the state government to take steps to complete the survey process and ensure that no action is taken regarding the land until then.
Later in the day, State Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala instructed that a comprehensive investigation be conducted into the police action related to the eviction at Kizhakkambalam in Ernakulam district, with a report to be submitted within three days by State Police Chief Ravada Chandrasekhar, according to a statement from his office.
The minister directed that the inquiry examine whether there were any lapses or shortcomings on the part of the police and provide recommendations on how to handle such situations in the future to prevent similar incidents.
The dispute in the area stems from a property issue in which a private individual has been declared the rightful owner of the land where the Dalit families have been residing for years.
The eviction drive at Pariyathukavu has been a contentious issue for years, and several attempts have reportedly been made in the past but were unsuccessful.
The affected Dalit families have appealed against their eviction, but their petitions have been dismissed by courts on every occasion.
They have claimed that the land they have been residing on is government land and not privately owned.
On the other hand, the Supreme Court has upheld the private individual’s ownership. The directions of the Kerala High Court to enforce the private individual’s rights led to the eviction drive.
