Thrissur: Police lathicharged the activists of the Kerala Students’ Union here on Thursday after the march taken out by them to the District Collectorate turned violent.
T.N. Prathapan, MLA, and 20 activists of the KSU suffered injuries in the lathi-charge and have been hospitalised.
The United Democratic Front (UDF) will observe a dawn-to-dusk hartal in the district on Friday in protest against the lathicharge.
Activists led by KSU State general secretary A. Prasad, secretaries Sunil Lalur and Shoan Pallissery and district president Najeeb Mohammed took out a march to the Collectorate around 11.15 a.m. seeking to withdraw the social studies textbook of Class VII and to implement government fees for 50 per cent merit seats in self-financing professional colleges.
MLAs T.N. Prathapan and Therambil Ramakrishnan addressed the activists. The activists who tried to push through the police cordon were chased away.The agitators, however, returned and continued to provoke the police. A lathi-charge ensued and many activists sustained severe injuries.
Mr. Prathapan intervened and persuaded the police to stop the lathi-charge.
He received blows despite attempts by Deputy Superintendent of Police P. Radhakrishnan to protect him. “The lathi-charge was fierce. The police chased and attacked the students till they bled. The Dy.SP was apologetic later,” Mr. Prathapan said.
Tension prevailed in and around the Collectorate following clashes between the police and students.
Mr. Prathapan and a few activists staged a dharna in front of the Collectorate.
The protesters left the place after Superintendent of Police M.P. Dinesh promised to take action against the policemen who beat the MLA. Angry KSU and Youth Congress activists later took out a march along the Swaraj Round .