THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The fact that the governor was stopped at three places in the city by SFI members leading to a violation of law and order while a large police presence under the leadership of five assistant commissioners was watching was a serious security breach. There was an intelligence report that the governor's car would be stopped. Therefore, the governor's travel information to the airport was conveyed by the top officials over the phone rather than over the wireless. The leakage of travel information is also a serious failure.

It is learned that a CI and an SI in Intelligence are the ones who leaked the travel details to the SFI members. One of them is an office bearer of the police organization. The other was an SI of a station in the city limits till recently. Intelligence and police are investigating this matter.

There was a black flag protest against the Governor at Vazhuthacaud last night. It was then that the top officials suggested not to divulge his travel details over the wireless. Assistant Commissioners Anurup, Sheen Tharayil, Nias, Ajith Kumar and Stuart Keeler were in charge of the security of the Governor. Two ACPs accompanied the Governor's motorcade.

Three ACPs were also present at Pettah to stop the protestors. SFI members jumped in front of the governor's car in Pettah despite the huge police presence. Even after the governor got out of the car, the police took a long time to remove the protesters. The first protest against the Governor took place at Palayam and was repeated at the General Hospital and Pettah. The incident which took place next to Pettah police station became an embarrassment to the police.

Police were deployed on the road to the airport. Policemen were also assigned to prevent vehicles from entering the airport road from the intersection when the Governor's motorcade was passing by. Yet there was a serious failure to stop the SFI members.

An unusual event

The governor was irked by the fact that the SFI members stopped him for the third time within three and a half kilometers. The governor got out of the car and reacted strongly when he was stopped for the third time at Pettah. It is an unusual event in India for the governor to approach the protesters and shout. Rare in the history of Kerala as well. Recently there was a bomb attack on the Raj Bhavan in Tamil Nadu.

Reason for outrage, Senate nomination

The cause of the SFI's fury against the governor was that he rejected the government's panel and appointed members on his own in Kerala and Calicut universities. With the nomination of the Governor, BJP has gained the ability to win two syndicate members in Kerala and one in Calicut. BJP has not had syndicate members in both places till now.

Of the recommendations made by the Government through the Vice-Chancellor to nominate the Governor's representatives to the Calicut Senate, the Governor accepted only two student representatives. With the governor nominating 18 senators on his own, the left representation in the Calicut University Syndicate was reduced. The panel submitted by the government for the Kerala University Senate was completely rejected by the governor. Although it has been six months since the Kerala and Calicut senate elections, due to the delay in the nomination of the governor, the elections to the syndicate have not been held.

Imprisonment of up to 7 years if the governor is stopped

Obstructing and attempting to assault the Governor, the Head of State, is a serious criminal offence under IPC-124. Legal experts say it is a crime punishable by up to seven years in prison. This section applies to those who attempt to obstruct, harass or attack the President or the Governor.

The governor had said that a case can be filed under this section when he was assaulted at Kannur University. However, the police decided that section 124 of the IPC would not apply, pointing out that the protestors did not conspire to attack or come near the governor.