The police fired water canons on activists of the Kerala Students’ Union (KSU) who took out a protest march to the Kanayannur taluk office here on Wednesday demanding an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the death of Sidharthan J.S., a second year student of the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at Pookode, Wayanad.
Three rounds of water canons were fired on the activists after they attempted to jump the barricade set up near Maharaja’s College. The police resorted to lathi-charge to remove the protesters.
The activists accused the police of having used the lathi in clear violation of norms to be adhered to while tackling a protest. They were heard asking the police whether they would resort to a similar reaction on activists of the Students Federation of India. The union alleged that male police personnel had attempted to forcibly push Miva Jolly, State secretary of the KSU, into the police van. The activists said that Safvan C.B., district general secretary, fractured his hand during police action.
As the protest intensified, the activists squatted on the road and raised slogans against the police and the State government. They alleged that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was shielding SFI leaders who were responsible for the brutal attack on Siddharthan, who was found hanging in the toilet of his hostel room. The district leadership said the agitation demanding justice for Sidharthan would be intensified in the coming days.
