Youth Cong men regretful but say rivals kill people regularly IIT scholar beaten up for taking part in beef festival
weep area, some parts of central Arabian Sea, coastal and south interior Karnataka.
It is also likely to advance into some more parts of Tamil Nadu, southwest, west central and east central Bay of Bengal, most parts of northeast Bay of Bengal and some more parts of northeastern states during the next three-four days.
In its initial forecast, the IMD has predicted a ‘normal’ rainfall, owing to reduction in the likelihood of El-Nino, a phenomenon associated with warming of the Pacific waters.
The IMD will come up with its second forecast for the season in the first week of June. Fishermen were asked not to venture into the sea in Odisha as severe cyclonic storm Mora crossed the Bangladesh coast , raising possibility of rains at many places in the state.
The storm over Northeast Bay of Bengal moved further NorthNortheastward and latest observations indicate that it crossed Bangladesh coast about 30 km south of Chittagong this morning, the MeT office said.
The system is very likely to continue to move north-northeastwards towards northeastern states and weaken into a cyclonic storm.
Three Youth Congress leaders suspended from the party for slaughtering a calf in public in Kerala have expressed regret for their action, but accused rival BJP and CPI(M) supporters of more heinous crimes including murder.
“We admit it was a big mistake. And we are ready to suffer for it. But at the same people should be aware of those who lynch poor in the name of keeping beef and execute their opponents,” Rijil Makutty told HT.
Makutty, Josey Kandathil and K Sharafuddin slaughtered a calf in Kannur last weekend in protest against Centre’s decision to impose new restrictions on the trade of cattle meant for slaughter, triggering nationwide outrage. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi dubbed their protest as “barbaric”.
“It was an instant reaction. We apologise to those who are really pained over our action. It is sad it brought enough damage to the party,” said Josy Kandathil, the Youth Congress state secretary.
But the three said those criticizing them also included people who killed political opponents publicly. “At times after barging into their opponents’ home, they stab rivals before their relatives. People are yet to forget 51 stab wounds on TP Chandrasekharan,” Rejil said, referring to the killing of a rebel CPI(M) leader in 2012.
Kannur in north Kerala has been the site of unremitting violence between the CPI(M) and RSS with both sides accused of titfor-tat killings.
Rejil had unsuccessfully contested against CPI(M) leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan in 2011 from Thalasserry constituency, after being handpicked by Gandhi. All three were student leaders and are known to be close to former MP K Sudhakaran.
They said it was their urge to do “something different” to register their protest landed them in trouble. They dismissed the idea of holding a beef festival as it had become too common.
The three said they had procured the calf from an abattoir and had got its butcher to accompany them. “The professional butcher did the job. Many are spreading canards we slaughtered the calf,” Rejil added.
A group of students at IIT-Madras allegedly thrashed on Tuesday a PhD scholar who had participated in a campus beef festival held to protest the central government’s ban on sale of cattle for slaughter at animal markets.
The organiser of the festival at the prestigious institution told HT that six to seven students surrounded Aerospace engineering PhD student R Sooraj during lunch time at a hostel canteen on Tuesday and attacked him.
Sooraj’s right eye was seriously damaged and he was rushed to the hospital, said Abhinav Surya, a final year mechanical engineering student who organised the beef festival.
“We have lodged a complaint with the dean of IIT-M and are planning to register a police complaint,” Abhinav told Hindustan Times.
A group of 70 to 80 students on Sunday evening to demonstrate against the Centre’s notification and underline that they had a right to choose their own food.