Kerala Protests Erupt After Financial Probes Target Vijayan's Daughter

Enforcement Directorate raids targeting Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter's company sparked protests in Kerala. Suspected CPI(M) activists attacked Enforcement Directorate officials, damaging vehicles and causing injuries. BJP decried the violence, calling it an attack on the rule of law, while Vijayan condemned the raids as politically motivated harassment by central agencies.

The Enforcement Directorate's investigation into the financial ties between Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter’s firm and a sand mining corporation spurred significant unrest in Kerala. Protests erupted statewide as CPI(M) workers railed against the central agency’s actions on Wednesday.

Violence unfolded outside Vijayan's temporary home following the raid's conclusion. Several vehicles, notably the one transporting ED officials, were attacked by alleged CPI(M) members. Despite the presence of police, the mob turned violent, with stones and bricks hurled at the retreating officers' transport, causing damage and injury.

Party activists assembled at Vijayan’s residence upon learning about the raids and staged demonstrations. Although central security safeguarded the premises, tensions escalated as ED officers exited, resulting in aggressive confrontations.

Vijayan labeled the raids politically driven, asserting that they are part of a broader strategy against opposition figures. Meanwhile, the BJP condemned the attacks on ED personnel, emphasizing the need for unimpeded investigations. The drama unfolded a day following a Kerala High Court ruling that upheld the ED's authority to investigate the alleged financial misconduct involving Vijayan’s daughter and her firm.