CPM branch secretary arrested for locking Women and Child Welfare Department employees in house and beating them

ALAPPUZHA: A CPM branch secretary was arrested for allegedly attacking officials from the Women and Child Welfare Department who had arrived to investigate a complaint that he was not taking care of his bedridden mother. The accused has been identified as Prasannakumar alias Prasad (52), the secretary of the Pattanakkad High School CPM branch. He was staying in a rented house in the fifth ward of Pattanakkad Grama Panchayat. The incident took place on Saturday morning.

The complaint against Prasad was filed by his elder sister Ambili, who alleged that he was not taking proper care of their bedridden mother, Sathi. When the officials reached the house to investigate the complaint, Prasad allegedly locked them inside a room and physically attacked them.

Police reached the house soon after the incident. However, Prasad allegedly lifted his mother from the bed and threatened the officers, forcing the police to leave the scene. The injured officials later filed a complaint and received treatment at Thuravoor Hospital.

After the police left, Prasad went into hiding. Meanwhile, Minister Bindu Krishna directed the police chief to arrest the accused immediately. Following this, the district police chief warned officers to catch him within five hours.

Police later found that Prasad had contacted a female friend in Maruthorvattam and was attempting to flee in a rented car. He was finally arrested early Sunday morning during a vehicle inspection at Krishnapuram in Kayamkulam. The arrest was made by a team led by Pattanakkad Station Officer P.S. Jayan.

Prasannakumar was later remanded by the Cherthala First Class Magistrate Court. Police said he was on his way to hide at an ashram in Kollam when he was arrested.