A march taken out by activists of the Yuva Morcha and the Bharatiya Janata Party in Tripunithura on Monday seeking resignation of Excise minister K.Babu turned violent.
Three police personnel, including Assistant Commissioner of police in Thrikkakara Bijo Alexander, were injured during the clash. Besides, 12 protesters including BJP state Vice-president PM Velayudhan and Yuva Morcha vice-president KS Shaiju, also sustained injuries in the police lathi-charge.
According to police, the violence started at 11.30 a.m. when a section of the protesters threw stones at the police. “The march was blocked about 150 metres before the minister’s residence and a clash broke out as irate protesters tried to pull down the police barricades and jump over it”, said Baiju. P. Poulose, Circle Inspector of police, Hillpalace station.
Later, the protesters attacked the police using iron bars used for fixing the barricades even as the police used batons and water cannons to disperse the crowd. The protesters, however, refused to pay heed and continued their march and soon began pelting stones, forcing us to chase them away’’, the official added.
The other policemen who were injured in the clash were identified as sub-Inspector PR Santosh and civil police officer Vipin. While the sub-inspector sustained an injury to his wrist, the CPO has been admitted to a hospital with broken finger.
Meanwhile, BJP district president P.J. Thomas accused the police of rounding up its activists without any provocation. “Our workers had already dispersed when the lathi-charge began and the police deliberately beat up senior leaders without any reasons’’, he said.
The police have registered a case against 70 identifiable people in connection with the incident. They have been charged with unlawful assembly, rioting and for causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty.
