Two persons were arrested on Monday for allegedly assaulting an Army officer after over 60 NCC cadets were hospitalised due to suspected food poisoning at a camp held at KMM College in Kochi’s Thrikkakara last week.
Police said the accused have been identified as Nishad, a resident of Fort Kochi and Navas of Palluruthi. The accused assaulted lieutenant colonel Karneyil Singh, the administrative officer of the 21 Kerala NCC Battalion, at a National Cadet Corps camp held at KMM College.
A senior police official said the accused were apprehended at their homes and arrested after being identified by NCC officials.
The Thrikkakara police had previously registered an FIR against two persons for allegedly assaulting the Army officer, based on a complaint.
The incident took place amid tensions following the suspected food poisoning of over 60 cadets on December 23.
According to the FIR dated December 24, the accused, identified as “two identifiable persons”, entered the college hosting the camp, stopped, threatened, and then attacked Karneyil Singh, the camp commandant around 11.30pm.
The first accused allegedly stabbed the officer with a sharpened object on his cheek, neck, and back, hindering his ability to perform official duties, the FIR mentioned.
The attack took place while the officer was serving as camp commandant of the Combined Annual Training Camp (CATC), organised by the 21 Kerala Battalion NCC at the college.
The accused were charged under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including 329(3) (criminal trespass), 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), and 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt).
Other charges include 118(1) (causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous means), 121(1) (dissuading a public servant from duty by causing hurt), and 3(5) (criminal acts committed with common intention).
The additional director general of NCC has instructed a panel led by a brigadier to submit a report on the suspected food poisoning incident.
(With inputs with PTI)
