The disagreement of four CPI(M) councillors in the Malappuram municipality over the council’s decision to ask for a comprehensive investigation into sexual abuse allegations against former councilor K.V. Sasikumar has kicked up a row here.
Sasikumar was arrested by the police after a group of former students of St. Gemma’s Girls Higher Secondary School here came out against him, accusing him of sexual abuse of various nature and degree, including rape, while he was a teacher at the school.
A CPI(M) municipal councillor, Sasikumar quit his post when his former students raised the allegations of rape in a #MeToo campaign. Several organisations barring the CPI(M) and its affiliates had staged protests here seeking action against the former teacher and the school officials.
When the Municipal council moved a resolution on Monday demanding a comprehensive investigation into the allegations, CPI(M) councilors K.P.A. Shareef, O. Sahadevan, K.T. Ramani and Nooshad C.H. registered their dissent, saying that the role of the school management and the PTA executive committee had not been included in the demand for the investigation.
However, Municipal chairman Mujeeb Kaderi maintained that the council’s demand was for a ‘comprehensive investigation’ into the sexual assault case. He said the comprehensive inquiry would include all aspects, and there was no need to specify anything in particular.
