Chokramudi land-grab aided by Revenue department and CPI, says V.D. Satheesan

Opposition leader V.D. Satheesan visiting the Chokramudi hills region under the Bison Valley panchayat in Idukki on Monday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The large-scale land-grab that was reported in Chokramudi hills in Idukki transpired with the support of the Revenue department and the Communist Party of India (CPI) leadership, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan has said. Addressing the media after visiting the hills on Monday, Mr. Satheesan noted that the land grab on Chokramudi hills was completed based on a letter submitted in the Revenue Minister’s office. “A CPI district committee member filed a complaint against the involvement of CPI district secretary K. Salim Kumar over the Chokramudi land encroachment. But the leadership did not take any action regarding the complaint,” alleged Mr. Satheesan.

“The recent findings of the Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by K. Sethuraman, Inspector General of Police, North Zone, which reported on illegal encroachments in the area, recommended action against those Revenue officials who are tied to the encroachments. But the government has not taken action against the officials,” said Mr. Satheesan.

Mr. Satheesan said that M.M. Lambodharan, brother of Udumbanchola MLA M.M. Mani and his brother-in-law encroached on government land on the north portion of Chokramudi hills. “In 2023, the Revenue department booked a case against Surendran, husband of Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] district secretariat member Shylaja, for the illegal construction of a 2.5-km road stretch on the Chokramudi hills. The Revenue department failed to take action in the case,” said Mr. Satheesan.

Idukki MP Dean Kuriakose, District Congress Committee (DCC) President C.P. Mathew, Former DCC President Ibrahimkutty Kallar, DCC general secretary Bijo Mani, and others were part of the visit.