Protests against the government continued in different parts of the State for the eighth consecutive day on Saturday.
Youth Congress workers seeking the resignation of Minister for Higher Education K.T. Jaleel charged the police lines in Pathanamthitta and Kozhikode, resulting in injuries on both sides.
The police trained water cannons, lobbed tear gas grenades and swung batons to subdue the belligerent demonstrators. Youth Congress State secretary Abeed Shahid was injured in the police action in Pathanamthitta.
In Kozhikode, baton-charged Youth Congress workers attempted to storm the district headquarters. Several persons were injured in the melee. In Kasaragod, the police used water cannon to disperse a Mahila Morch march organised by the BJP.
Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran and BJP State president K. Surendran condemned the police action as brutal. In separate statements, the leaders accused the government of using the police to stifle democratic dissent.
