Xmas party turns violent, migrants attack police

Kochi: Christmas day celebrations by migrant labourers from the north east part of India at Kizhakkambalam area of Ernakulam district turned violent, leading to several policemen being brutally assaulted and two police jeeps badly damaged, with one set on fire, police said on Sunday.

Rural SP K Karthik told the media that two cases have been lodged in connection with the incident on December 25 night and the investigation was going on to identify all those involved in it and to collect evidence.

“It is a long process,” he added. He also said that 8 policemen, including a Circle Inspector, were injured in the violence and some of them also required surgery, but presently their health condition was stable.

Earlier, around 150 workers, who are employees of Kitex and residing in a housing camp built for them by the company, were taken into custody in connection with the incident.

Visuals of the violence showed a large group of people surrounding police vehicles, climbing on top of them, pelting them with stones and then thrashing them with sticks, leaving the vehicles in shambles.

Subsequently, after the policemen retreated to safety, the workers set fire to one of the vehicles. Kitex MD Sabu Jacob, later told the media, that “the workers had brutally assaulted the police officers, including a Circle Inspector, who had reached the spot to resolve the arguments between two groups of labourers on Saturday night.”

He said that initially the camp security and the supervisors tried to intervene and resolve the issue, but they too were assaulted and thereafter, the police were called. However, when the police arrived, the “uncontrollable” workers brutally attacked the officers, who were forced to retreat to safety, leaving their vehicles behind.

Jacob said there was no criminal intent behind what happened and claimed that drugs were brought into the camp and some of the workers were probably under its influence, leading to them becoming “uncontrollable”. He said his company would cooperate with the investigation.—(PTI)