PATHANAMTHITTA: Ten activists of the Kerala Students Union (KSU) suffered injuries when a march taken out by the union on Thursday turned violent after the police tried to prevent the demonstrators from entering the Mini Civil station premises.
The march to the Mini Civil Station was held as part of a Statewide agitation by the KSU in protest against the
education policy of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government. The march was led by KSU district president Aneesh Varikkannamala.
Violence broke out when a group of demonstrators tried to break the police cordon in front of the Mini Civil Station which houses the court complex, financial complex, etc. The protesters were caned by the police party led by Dy.SP Sabu P. Idiculla.
Meanwhile, a group of Youth Congress workers led by Babu Divakaran, district president; A. Sureshkumar, former district president; Vettoor Jyotiprasad, Congress Seva Dal district chairman; Jasimkutty; Renees Muhammed and K.G. Kannan; joined the agitators. The KSU-Youth Congress workers staged a sit-in in front of the Mini Civil Station.
Addressing the workers, Mr. Sureshkumar and Mr. Divakaran warned the government of serious consequences if it tried to suppress the agitation by “misusing” the police force. They said the agitation seeking the withdrawal of “unscientific” school textbook would be intensified in the coming days. Anil Thomas, former Youth Congress national secretary, addressed the meet.
The injured KSU workers were identified as Aneesh Varikkannamala, Vimalkumar, Jose Peringanad, Shitto Kadambanad, Aby Veerappally, Ratheesh Kalanjoor, Rahul Mankoottathuil, Robin K. Jose, Jomon Koshy and Shyamlal. They were admitted to General Hospital here.
The KSU district committee has called for an education bandh in the district on Friday in protest against Thursday’s police action.
District Congress Committee secretaries Pazhakulam Madhu and Omni Eapen said Congress workers would take out torchlight processions in different parts of the district on Friday in protest against the police action on KSU workers and the education policy of the LDF government.
In another statement, Mr. Divakaran said Youth Congress workers would take out a march to Mini Civil Station on June 23 in protest against the education policy of the government.