KOZHIKODE: The Kerala Muslim Jamaat held a protest rally against the appointment of Sriram Venkitaraman, accused in the case of killing journalist K M Bashir, as Alappuzha District Collector.
Venkitaraman assumed office on July 26. Demonstrators have asked the state government to revoke the appointment. The protest was conducted under the leadership of the Kerala Muslim Jamaat which is led by the Kanthapuram wing. The organisation held protest rallies at district centres at 10.30 am. The march was organised in front of the secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram and the collectorates in other districts of Kerala.
Other forums and organisations of the state have also expressed solidarity with the protest. The Indian Cultural Forum (ICF) will hold protest rallies at 65 centres in different states tonight.
Earlier on Monday, the Congress also staged a dharna in front of the District Collectorate to protest the appointment of Venkitaraman as DM of Alappuzha.
Venkitaraman, currently serving as Joint Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, is accused of having a role in the killing of journalist K M Basheer in 2019. In the same case, Venkitaraman has been charge-sheeted for alcohol-impaired driving and trying to distort evidence.
The IAS officer was returning from a party and was accompanied by a friend when the deadly accident of K M Bashir had taken place. The police had registered a case under Section 279 (for reckless driving) and 304 (for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code.
Basheer (35) was bureau chief of Siraj Daily which is published by AP Samastha faction whose mother organisation is Kerala Muslim Jamaat. (ANI)