Wayanad, Dec 17 The Kerala Police have taken two people into custody after a tribal man was dragged for nearly half a km in a shocking incident that sparked massive outrage in Wayanad.
The incident occurred on Sunday evening at the Koodal Kadavu check dam site when Mathan (49), a tribal resident of Mananthavady, intervened in a verbal altercation between two tourist groups. Mathan questioned one group for harassing the other, which reportedly provoked the attack.
Four youths were in the car at the time of the incident. The police have detained Abhiram and Harshid after intercepting a bus traveling to Wayanad from Bengaluru. The other two accused, Vishnu and Nabeel, are currently absconding.
CCTV footage of the incident, which has since gone viral on social media, shows the inhuman manner in which Mathan was dragged along the road.
According to reports, one of the car occupants held onto Mathan's hand as the vehicle sped forward.
Speaking from the hospital, Mathan described the ordeal: “I suffered injuries on my hands and legs. One of them was holding my hand while I was being dragged.”
The Kerala Police have registered a case and seized the vehicle involved in the incident.
The incident has drawn widespread condemnation, with Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi and other political leaders demanding strict action against the perpetrators. “The Kerala government should ensure speedy justice in the case and stringent action should be taken against them,” the Wayanad MP had said.
Responding to the public outrage, the Kerala government has announced that Mathan’s medical treatment will be fully borne by the state.
Former State Minister of SC/ST and present Lok Sabha member K. Radhakrishnan said that generally, these things don’t take place in Kerala. “Just because someone has money, they cannot be allowed to get away and the law should catch up with them,” said Radhakrishnan.
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