Thiruvananthapuram: National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations (NCHRO) organised secretariat dharna in Kerala, to protest against the unwarranted arrests of human rights activists Adv. N M Siddique and Abdussalam from Kochi. Dharna was inaugurated by writer and social activist Dr. J Devika. She said that it was unbecoming to intellectuals and writers of Kerala to keep mum when this kind of police atrocities became far and wide even to the human rights activists. She also called for resistance against the attempts from the media to tarnish the image of certain organisations and sections in the society. Meghnath, documentary maker and human rights activists from Jharkhand, Kantha Meghnath, Reni Ilin, national co-ordinator, NCHRO, Karamana Rasaq, Pravachambalam Ashraf Moulavi also spoke.

Kochi police had arrested Siddique and Salam last week alleging that they had seized objectionable materials from NCHRO district office here. Both are in judicial custody now.Meanwhile Siddique and Salam moved bail application to the High Court yesterday, which will be heard tomorrow by Justice Hema.