Youth Cong activists protest arrest of Dalit sisters

Youth Congress activists today took out a march to the state Secretariat here protesting against the controversial arrest of two Dalit sisters for allegedly attacking a CPI(M) activist here and also burnt the effigy of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The activists led by state Youth Congress President Dean Kuriakose raised slogans against the CPI(M)-led LDF government for arresting the two women of Thalassery in Kannur district, one of whom attempted suicide, police said.
They also burnt the effigy of Pinarayi Vijayan. Police chased them away using water cannons.
The sisters--Akhila and Anjana--had been summoned to the police station on June 17 and a case registered against them for allegedly attacking a CPI(M) worker and trespassing into the party office.

The two were released the next day after the National Commission for Scheduled Caste intervened.
Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi had expressed concern over the arrest and promised all help from the party to the sisters, who had been released on bail.

The state commission for SC/ST has also registered a case. Akhila's 18-month old daughter had also spent a night in jail with her mother.
Anjana had allegedly attempted suicide after her release and is presently undergoing treatment at the Indira Gandhi Hospital at Thalassery.
Meanwhile, a Kannur report said Kerala Women's Commission Chairperson K Rosakutty and the 'Vanitha' (women) Police took the statement of Anjana at the hospital today.

Anjana, whose condition is stable now, has been shifted to a ward from the ICU, hospital sources said.