BJP LEADER IN POLICE CUSTODY

HINDUSTAN TIMES, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM,18NOV 2018 - BJP leader K Surendran was allegedly manhandled in police custody and denied basic facilities, he claimed after he was detained for defying police orders at Nilakkal base camp of Sabarimala temple late on Saturday.

Surendran, who is BJP’S Kerala general secretary, has been remanded to 14-day custody by a court in Pathanamthitta in the morning. He is currently lodged at the Kottarakara sub-jail.

Surendran who spoke to the media before being remanded said: “The police have charged me under non-bailable sections. I am no criminal, nor do I have any cases against me. They did not let me sleep, nor was I allowed water or to take my medicines”.

Surendran challenged the police to open fire at him to prevent him from taking the pilgrimage.

Police stopped him and his supporters on Saturday as new rules bar pilgrims from proceeding to the temple after 7 pm. The temple closes for the day at 10 pm.