The Kerala Police have filed a case against Students’ Federation of India (SFI) Kerala president K Anusree and 20 other activists of the organisation for burning an effigy of Governor Arif Mohammed Khan in Kannur on Sunday evening.
The Kannur Town police registered the case against SFI workers on Monday, invoking various sections including Section 143 (unlawful assembly), Section 147 (punishment for rioting), and Section 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The 30-feet effigy of Khan, similar to the Papanji model, which was installed at Payyambalam beach in Kannur, was burnt by SFI state president Anusree and others on the New Year eve. Though four people were arrested in connection with the incident on Sunday, they were released on bail within minutes.
SFI, the student wing of the CPI-M, has accused the Governor of saffronising the universities by appointing pro-BJP or RSS officials. Speaking to the media, Anusree said that the effigy was burnt with the hope that in the new year, the Governor would refrain from implementing a communal agenda in the state’s higher education sector.