Kerala CM Convoy Blocked: Congress Leader Chenthi Ani Arrested

A Congress leader was arrested in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday for allegedly blocking Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan’s convoy while he was travelling to an event commemorating the birth anniversary of social reformer Sree Narayana Guru.

Thiruvananthapuram District Congress Committee (DCC) leader Anil Kumar, alias Chenthi Ani, was arrested after police registered a case against him and others over Friday evening’s incident at Chenthi.

According to police, Satheesan was on his way to Chempazhanthy to attend a programme marking Sree Narayana Guru’s birth anniversary when a group organising another Guru-related event at Chenthi signalled his vehicle to stop. The Chief Minister stepped out and spoke to the group, with television visuals showing him arguing with Ani before leaving the spot after a few minutes.

Police said the Chenthi programme was not included in the Chief Minister’s official schedule. Organisers, however, produced a photograph of themselves meeting Satheesan at the Secretariat several months ago to invite him to the event. They also claimed that police had visited the venue on Thursday and discussed arrangements, including the number of people permitted on the stage.

Ani was taken into custody late Friday and brought to Sreekaryam police station. His arrest was formally recorded following interrogation.

The case has been registered under Sections 126(2), 351(2) and 132 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), relating to wrongful restraint, criminal intimidation, and assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from performing official duties.

The FIR, based on the statement of a police officer deployed for route-clearing duty, alleges that Ani confronted the Chief Minister aggressively and questioned why he had not attended the event despite it being an accepted programme. It further alleges that Ani threatened the Chief Minister during the exchange.

Police said Ani would be produced before a court as part of the remand procedure. The role of others present at the scene is being examined through video footage.

Meanwhile, the DCC is collecting details of the incident amid concerns among Congress workers over the Chief Minister’s absence and Ani’s arrest.