KOLLAM: The five students taken into custody by the police on the charge of obstructing the chief minister's convoy for not moving despite honking have been released. All five of them are students of Nish, Thiruvananthapuram and students from other states who are hearing impaired and dumb.

The incident happened near Chadayamangalam around 9 pm last night. The youths while taking their vehicle after having food from a hotel in Chadayamangalam following a programme in Adoor, the convoy of the chief minister passed this way after a public programme in Idukki. The police took the students into custody alleging that they obstructed the traffic without moving despite honking. When they were brought to Chadayamangalam station, it became clear that they were hearing impaired. With this, the top police officials intervened and released them without filing a case. Police said as there was heavy rain at night, the youths were kept in the station to be released with responsible persons as there was a possibility of causing accidents. The five released along with the authorities in Nish reached Thiruvananthapuram around midnight.

There was a huge controversy recently when the police registered a case after the sound of the mike was interrupted during the Oommen Chandy memorial programme organized by the KPCC at Ayyangali Hall in Thiruvananthapuram. The Cantonment Police filed a case under the Police Act. The police said that only the mike was examined in the incident and if wanted to be sent to the electoral inspectorate for examination, a case should have to be filed.