A march taken out by the Muslim Students Federation (MSF) in protest against the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s alleged backdoor appointments and nepotism ended up in a police lathicharge in front of the District Collectorate here on Monday.
Seven protestors and a news photographer were injured in the lathicharge. Satheesh Kumar K.B., photographer of Mathrubhumi newspaper, suffered injuries on his head as a policeman thrashed him despite holding up his camera and showing his media credentials.
A group of MSF workers turned against V.P. Sanu, the national president of the Students Federation of India (SFI), when he made provocative comments against them while addressing a meet to support the farmers’ agitation from a nearby pandhal in front of the Collectorate.
The MSF protestors destroyed the flags in front of the pandhal. They shouted slogans against Mr. Sanu. The SFI accused the MSF of “shamelessly attacking the farmers’ agitation.”
Journalists protested here against the police attack on the news photographer. “A policeman brutally attacked Mr. Satheesh Kumar even after showing his media identity. It looked like a premeditated and vengeful act from the policeman,” said K.P.M. Riyas, district secretary of the Kerala Union of Working Journalists.
