Kottayam : Police booked BJP councillor among others at Kottayam’s Muttambalam, for preventing the cremation of a deceased man who had tested positive for Covid-19. BJP councillor TN Harikumar and 30 other identifiable party workers were named in the case. The deceased, Chunkam native Ouseph George, was cremated late last evening the amid heavy police presence in the area.
83-year-old Ouseph, a residing at Chungam close to CMS College there, tested positive at Kottayam Medical College after he died on Saturday. Locals
protested against cremating Ouseph’s body at the public crematorium and BJP councillor Harikumar led them inside to prevent the cremation. They barricaded the entrance to the premise and also staged a sit-in protest outside on the road.
The crowd largely objected to cremating body because it was covid-positive. A group of CPI(M) members headed by District Secretary VN Vasu, held talks with demonstrators lasting hours, at the end of which, towards evening, the crowd agreed to give up the protest they began early morning Sunday. Following this, cremation was carried out late evning with heavy police deployment.
Ironically, Ouseph was an employee with Kottayam municipality for 35 long years of his career.
(BJP workers blocking entrance to the crematorium in Kottayam)
