Police files case after mike failure during Kerala CM's speech at Oommen Chandy's condolence meet

Thiruvananthapuram: In a bizarre move, the police filed an FIR against the mike failure during Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's speech at the condolence meeting of late former CM Oommen Chandy on Monday. The Cantonment police took suo moto case in the incident. The Chief Minister's speech was disrupted for a few seconds when the mike malfunctioned during the event organised by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) at Mahatma Ayyankali Hall in Thiruvananthapuram.

The police seized the 'accused' malfunctioning mike, a set of wires and the amplifier. However, the police have not arrested anyone yet. The Electrical Inspectorate will conduct the inspection today. As Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan began to address the condolence meeting, it was disrupted due to loud interference in the microphone. It approximately lasted about 16 seconds.

The charge is as per section 118 (e) under Kerala Police Act, 2011 which concerns the 'penalty for causing a grave violation of public order or danger'. According to the section, "Any person who, knowingly does any act which caused danger to public or failure in public safety..."

According to the Congress party, it was improper for the police to voluntarily launch a case over a technical issue. The leaders of the Congress also retorted that shouting slogans for Oommen Chandy as soon as CM Pinarayi Vijayan stood up to speak should not be viewed as rude.

From the balcony, the Congress workers chanted "Oommen Chandy ki Jai" as the CM approached the podium to speak. Then KPCC Chairman K Sudhakaran intervened to put an end to their sloganeering. After that, the mike made a loud noise as the CM started speaking. Following the fixing of the technical issue, a grinning Pinarayi resumed and gave a respectable speech.