Kerala: Midnight raid on female Congress leaders' rooms triggers protests

Palakkad (Kerala) [India], November 6 : Congress party is observing a protest in Palakkad on Wednesday after police officers allegedly entered the rooms of women leaders on Monday night for a search.
According to congress leader Bindu Krishna, police knocked at her room at around Tuesday's midnight and asked to examine the room. Her husband and Congress leader Krishnakumar was with her and they were permitted to search the room.
Police also knocked the room of congress leader and former MLA Shanimol Usman and she asked the presence of a women police officer to search her room.
According to police, the search was conducted after they received some information related to black money being used in elections. 12 rooms were searched but the search did not yield any results.
Congress alleged that this incident implied a relationship between CPIM and BJP, claiming that the workers of CPIM and BJP reached the hotel immediately after police came to the spot. In response, CPIM alleged that the Congress brought in money to be used for election.
Bindu Krishna also alleged that BJP women leaders were also there in the hotel but their rooms were not searched by the Police teams.
Leader of opposition in Kerala assembly and Congress leader V D Satheesan said "Yesterday's police search in the rooms of congress women leaders was part of a conspiracy between CPIM and BJP. Police insulted women leaders."
He demanded the resignation of Minister MB Rajesh, alleging his involvement in the conspiracy.
"Minister MB Rajesh should resign. Minister MB Rajesh and his brother-in-law were behind the conspiracy," V D Satheesan said.
"Before police reached the hotel DYFI workers and CPIM party channel representatives reached the hotel," he added.
Party workers of CPIM, Congress and BJP reached the hotel and there was an altercation between them.