Five families, including women and children have been forced to stay in a church in Pathamuttam near Kottayam in Kerala, for the last one week after DYFI goons, the youth wing of the ruling CPM, unleashed a brutal attack on them. Now the families fear to come out of the church and go back to their houses as they have been threatened with death. Now the victims have been provided with police protection, considering the death threats issued by the local DYFI leaders.
A group of DYFI goons attacked them on December 23 during Christmas carol procession. Several people including women and children were severely injured in the attack. The police arrested six DYFI workers in connection with the incident. But all those arrested were later granted bail under weaker sections of CrPC.
Even after the attack, the family members of the assailants and local DYFI leaders continue to threaten the victims, and that they were forced to take refuge in the Pathamutam St Paul’s Anglican Church.
Yamiya C. Thankachan, an engineering student who sustained serious injuries in stone pelting, addressed a press meet and said she could not concentrate on her studies due to fear after the brutal attack. She also alleged that they were denied justice because the assailants wield political power.
“We are afraid to return to our homes when the threat continues against us,” she said.
There are allegations that the police did not properly record the girls’ statements, and this allowed the accused to get bail.
Since the victims were Hindu Dalits before getting converted to Christianity, the elite Christian churches in the state turn a blind eye to this gross Human Rights violation committed by the CPM-DYFI goons.
The violence broke out when the carol group questioned when the DYFI criminal gang flashed their genitals at the group including women and children. The gang attacked the church and neighbouring houses, and damaged two-wheelers and an autorickshaw. They also destroyed food and molested women carollers.
