Free-for-all for goons in Kerala?

BY O J George

No amount of defence against it, people are disgusted with the zenith of goonda raj prevailing in Kerala.At no time, had there been such perversity of non-adherence to law as grievous as now.

Paul M George, a scion of the Muthoot family which has contributed to the economy of the country in a big way, has been murdered in cold blood.

The latest version of the police seems to simply write it off as an altercation between Paul George and a quotation gang of goons at the dead of night.

Paul George was travelling with other dreaded goons, apparently Omprakash and Rajesh Puthenpalam.Earlier, it was believed that both were in police custody.

Now it appears Omprakash is at large and the police has issued a look-out notice for him in connection with other cases.The murder incident unfolds scenes of a play within a play.

Paul George travels with deadly goons. The car driven by Paul George hits a motor-cycle. Paul George speeds off. At that point a gang blocks the car of Paul George arguing about the bike-hit incident.

Due to provocation, the gang members hack Paul George to death.The car driven by Paul George was not his, it was that of a goonda.

Paul George’s car came to the scene a little later, driven by his driver. The driver had gone to fetch the key of the guest house of Paul George.It was found by the driver, after he left Paul George, that the key was actually at the guest house itself. That means there was no need for the driver to leave Paul George to fetch the keys.

Coming back, the driver finds Paul George and another man, Manu lying in a pool of blood. There were two others there. The wounded persons were put in Paul George’s car and taken to Alappuzha medical college hospital.

The goonda’s car was driven off and the occupants left without attending to the wounded persons, including Paul George.

That car was abandoned at Chavara where people got suspicious and alerted the police. A gang came there in the guise of motor mechanics and took away the bags and other things in the car, in the presence of the police.

It is evident the case is being over-simplified to denote that the murder was the result of an altercation. Goons cannot survive if they would not get protection from the ruling echelons. Various political entities use them for various purposes.

Therefore, they cannot be touched. Any number of alibi would be found to fetch an escape route for them.Whatever it is, the situation in Kerala is not wholesome for anyone.

That an industrialist can be done to death in such simplicity does not augur well for the rule of law of the state.