What Happened in Kerala? Congress MP and UDF Supporters Injured in Police Violence

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Kerala's political climate remains tense amid ongoing confrontations.
- Violent tactics have been employed by political factions, raising questions about accountability.
- Injuries to key political figures highlight the seriousness of the situation.
- Upcoming elections may intensify political rivalries.
- Public safety and order should be prioritized amidst political conflicts.
Kozhikode, Oct 10 (NationPress) A violent clash took place on Friday evening in Kerala's Perambra, involving the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the CPI-M. This confrontation compelled the police to utilize lathi charges and tear gas to disperse the crowds.
Among the injured were Congress MP Shafi Parambil, Kozhikode DCC president Praveen Kumar, along with several other UDF members.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Hariprasad also suffered injuries during the altercations.
The violence stemmed from escalating tensions over the CKG College Union election, which had already ignited confrontations between the Students' Federation of India (SFI) and the Kerala Students Union (KSU) the previous day.
The unrest extended into the town center as both UDF and CPI-M supporters engaged in protest marches.
As the situation escalated, rival factions resorted to stone-pelting and physical confrontations.
The police stepped in with baton charges and deployed tear gas shells to restore calm.
Visuals captured Parambil with blood on his face, leading him to declare that the state government could not conceal the gold robbery at Sabarimala through violence.
He stated, “The police should not think they can escape accountability for this assault on our workers.”
Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan accused the CPI-M of orchestrating the attack and claimed that police officers acted as thugs for the party.
“This violence reflects a government that supports gold smuggling and theft. The police who attacked our activists are not acting independently. The government must realize that such tactics won’t distract from the Sabarimala gold incident. Your defeat in the Perambra CKG College Union election is just the beginning; a more significant loss awaits you,” Satheesan asserted.
Former Home Minister and senior Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan condemned the CPI-M for resorting to violence, emphasizing that with two upcoming elections, the Left government under Pinarayi Vijayan is “on the back foot” and reverting to their usual violent methods.