Revenue officers in Kerala's Idukki District today went on a mass casual leave protesting the alleged assault on Additional District Magistrate by CPI MLA E S Bijimol.
If action was not taken against the MLA, the employees would intensify their agitation, the office-bearers of the Collectorate Employees Association said.
The CPI MLA had allegedly assaulted the ADM, Moncy P Alexander, when he tried to reinstall a gate at a rubber plantation in Idukki district following a court order.
The local people were on a warpath since the past few days against the closure of a pathway used by them to go to a nearby place of worship, following which the State Human Rights Commission directed revenue officials to remove the gate. The plantation owner, meanwhile, got a stay order.
When the stay order was being implemented by the ADM, a group of persons led by the MLA, attacked the official.
Meanwhile, Bijimol told reporters that the ADM's action in reinstalling the gate cannot be accepted. She claimed that she did not assault him but had infact protected him from a protesting crowd.
CPI General Secretary Kanam Rajendran said the party would fight the case registered against the MLA legally.
State Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash based on the Collector's order, action will be taken.
Soon after the incident yesterday, collectorate employees had gone on a lightning strike.
