KSU protest over activists handcuffed in court turns violent

Thrissur(Kerala), Sep 13 (PTI) A protest march by the Congress party's student wing KSU on Saturday to the Wadakkanchery police station, over its activists being produced in court with masks and handcuffs, turned violent with the protestors clashing with police which used water cannons and tear gas to disperse them.

Three KSU activists -- Thrissur district KSU vice president Ganesh Attur, district committee member Al Ameen, and Killi Mangalam Arts College unit president Aslam KK -- were brought before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court here on Friday with their heads and faces covered.

They were also handcuffed, prompting a strong reaction from the Congress.

The Kerala Student Union (KSU) activists were arrested following a clash with members of the CPI(M)-affiliated Students Federation of India (SFI).

On Saturday, KSU state president Aloshious Xavier led a protest march to the Wadakkanchery police station with the protestors carrying effigies of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is in-charge of the Home Department, and the SHO of the police station.

The protestors were blocked by the police using barricades.

Subsequently, after delivering harsh speeches against the police, the KSU activists tried to pull down the barricades and threw sticks at the police personnel deployed there, as per visuals on TV channels.

The protestors also set fire to the effigies of the CM and the SHO.

The police responded by using several rounds of water cannons to disperse the activists, but were unsuccessful.

The protestors then cut away the ropes that were used to tie the barricades together and faced-off with the police.

Following that, police used tear gas to disperse the protestors, but were unsuccessful.

Later, the KSU leaders and several other protestors were arrested and removed from the site by the police.

Meanwhile, families of the arrested KSU activists told media that the police behaved in a bad manner with them by barging into their homes.

On Friday, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan condemned the incident, alleging that police were acting as slaves of the CPI(M).

He said that the SHO of Wadakkanchery was the same officer who was posted at Kunnamkulam police station when Youth Congress leader V S Sujith was tortured. PTI HMP HMP ROH