The Youth Congress orgnised a march to the Kerala Secretariat here in protest against the arrest of its state president Rahul Mamkoottathil turned violent on Wednesday.

During the march, Youth Congress workers tried to remove barricades installed in front of the Secretariat. Some of them allegedly tried to snatch the shield used by the police.

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As the protest turned violent the police used water cannons to disperse the protestors following which the protestors sat on the road, raising slogans against both the police and the LDF government in the state. Later, the protestors were removed by the police.

Launching the march, Shafi Parambil MLA came down heavily on the police and the LDF government. He alleged that police officials are acting like the CPI-M’s slaves. “Rahul has been remanded to 14 days custody on false charges. His house was under siege of the Police and instead of ringing the call bell, the police knocked on all doors and windows simultaneously creating havoc,” said Shafi.

The Kerala Police early on Tuesday morning arrested Youth Congress state president Rahul Mamkoottathil in connection with a case registered after the violent protest occurred during the Secretariat march of the Youth Congress last month.

Rahul Mamkoottathil moved a bail plea before the Thiruvananthapuram Sessions Court on Wednesday. The First Class Judicial Magistrate Court (3) on Tuesday rejected Rahul’s bail plea and remanded him for two weeks till the 22nd of this month.

Meanwhile, Opposition leader VD Satheesan called the government’s approach to democratic protest cruel. This, he said, is evident from Rahul Mamkoottathil’s arrest.

Pointing out that the case was registered against him for instigating violence, he said if that is the case, the police should file a case against the chief minister for dubbing an attack as charged in the FIR as an attempt to murder.