Leaders of the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) in Kozhikode have accused the Valayam police of giving communal colour to a routine altercation between two groups that happened on the Thiruvonam day last week.

The incident happened at Valayam near Nadapuram on September 5 when two youths standing outside a Maveli store there entered into an argument with two others on a motorcycle over the speed of the vehicle. K. Praveenkumar, District Congress Committee president, and M.A. Razak, district president, IUML, told the media on Saturday (September 13) that just because the two complainants belonged to the Hindu community and the accused belonged to the Muslim community, the police were trying to give a communal angle to the issue.

They alleged that though the first information report (FIR) did not contain any reference to their religion, the remand report submitted by the police in the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Nadapuram, explicitly referred to their background. Pointing out that the Nadapuram area had witnessed clashes between the two communities in the past, the police had urged the court to deny them bail. Mr. Razak alleged that a deliberate attempt was being made by the police to destroy the peaceful atmosphere in the region. Mr. Praveenkumar claimed that the police were acting at the behest of the State government to create communal polarisation in the area, eyeing the upcoming local body polls.

Both the leaders demanded that the police personnel responsible for this be dismissed from service. The police, however, are claiming that the references were made to ensure that the accused don’t get bail.