Kerala’s capital city witnessed tense moments for the second consecutive day as the Kerala Students’ Union (KSU), the student wing of the Congress, led protest march to the state Police Headquarters at Vazhuthacaud against the police atrocities being meted out to them during the course of Nava Kerala Sadas, turned violent on Thursday.
During the course of the march from KPCC office – Indira Bhavan – the KSU activists damaged several posters and banners of Nava Kerala Sadas. The police resorted to lathi charges and water cannons against the KSU protesters when they tried to jump the barricades.
They allegedly hurled chilli powder at the police. Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan and KSU State President Alosious Xavier sustained injuries in the police action. Several KSU protesters including a few women were also injured in the melee.
The KSU activists alleged that the police started a lathi charge without any provocation, Aloysius Xavier and Mathew Kuzhalnadan alleged that they were cornered and beaten up. The injured activists were taken to the hospital in an ambulance.
“The Police treated us as if we were goondas. It’s a quotation gang that is protecting the Chief Minister. Those police who are working for the CPM should get rid of their uniforms and come out. We all will face the Police in the streets. Can the Chief Minister take a cue from the Governor and walk through the streets without the accompaniment of police security,” asked Kuzhalnadan.
The secretariat march organized by the Congress in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday turned violent. Several policemen and Youth Congress workers sustained injuries in the violence that erupted during the march that was organized in protest against the attack on KSU and Youth Congress workers, who had raised opposition to the Nava Kerala Sadas.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Police filed a case against Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan, naming him as the prime accused in the violence that occurred during the Youth Congress march to the state secretariat on Wednesday.
In response to the police action, Satheesan mocked the charges against him and wrote on Facebook, “Please tell the Chief Minister that I have got scared.”