Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has disowned AIYF in the incident in which expatriate industrialist Sugathan committed suicide in Punalur. The chief minister said in the assembly that Sugathan committed suicide because AIYF interrupted the construction of a workshop by flag-planting in the plot.
There were allegations that Sugathan killed himself as AIYF demanded gawking wage (Nokku kooli) from him. The chief minister added that the organizations should only protect the labourers, and no organization will be allowed to collect gawking wage. He also said that a meeting of trade unions will be convened soon.
Sugathan, who had been in Muscat before, had decided to start a workshop after returning. He also found a plot in Elambal in Vilakkudi panchayat. But AIYF workers interrupted the work by planting flags in the land. They had warned Sugathan that no construction will be allowed in the land as it was a paddy field in the past. Disheartened in this, Sugathan killed himself.
The police had earlier arrested AIYF Kunnikkod Mandalam President M. S. Gireesh in connection with the case. meanwhile, Minister of Forest K. Raju said that the construction was progressing in a paddy field. He added that all political parties were against it in the beginning.
