Cases filed against 160 KSU, SFI activists after Thiruvananthapuram clash

Police have registered separate cases against KSU/Youth Congress and SFI/DYFI activists following a clash in the Palayam area of Thiruvananthapuram, officials said on Thursday.

The violence broke out on Wednesday night after KSU and Youth Congress activists took out a protest march against the Union government and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

According to police, the situation turned tense when the march reached the vicinity of the Kerala University hostel.

KSU and Youth Congress activists alleged that stones were thrown at the protesters from inside the hostel, while SFI and DYFI activists claimed that the protesters hurled flaming torches towards hostel residents.

Police intervened to control the situation and resorted to a lathi charge both inside and outside the hostel premises.

The Museum police registered a case against 80 Youth Congress/KSU activists, including Nemom Shajeer, Gopy Nayyar, Sayedali Kaippadi, Syamlal and Abhijith.

A separate case was registered against 80 SFI/DYFI activists, including Venu, Sreekumar, Denny, Aswin and Adithyan.

The cases were filed under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Kerala Police Act, Kerala Public Way Restriction of Assemblies and Procession Act and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

Police said the accused would be summoned and arrested as the offences invoked in the cases are non-bailable.

Meanwhile, the SFI has announced a statewide protest at educational institutions on Thursday.  (with inputs from PTI)