Bricks, sticks, and shattered glass; massive security failure blamed for Thiruvananthapuram unrest

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A severe security lapse by the local police reportedly led to an attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials on Wednesday, moments after they concluded a raid at the Thiruvananthapuram residence of Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan. Tensions had been simmering in the area since the commencement of the raid early in the morning. Despite an initial flashpoint where Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) workers hurled police helmets and footwear at the central security forces, local authorities allegedly failed to deploy additional reinforcement—a failure that critics argue paved the way for the subsequent violence. Parallel unrest was also reported in Kozhikode and Kannur. Following the assault, police detained several CPI(M) activists alongside Students' Federation of India (SFI) State Secretary, P.S. Sanjeev. According to eyewitnesses, the mob ambushed the ED convoy using bricks and wooden planks, shattering the vehicle's windows and side mirrors. The officials sustained injuries during the melee. The vehicle's driver, who suffered eye injuries from flying glass shards, was rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital. Speaking from the hospital, the driver leveled serious allegations against the local administration, stating that the police were conspicuously absent during the ambush and that the entire incident was a direct consequence of a security failure.

The ED's high-profile crackdown commenced earlier today after the Kerala High Court dismissed petitions filed by Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) and its executives, which had challenged the summonses issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The High Court cleared the decks for the central agency, ruling that the summonses merely directed the parties to present facts and produce relevant documentation. The central investigation stems from a finding by the Income Tax Interim Settlement Board, which revealed that CMRL had transferred ₹1.72 crore to Exalogic Solutions—a firm owned by Veena Vijayan, daughter of the former Chief Minister—for services that were allegedly never rendered.