YC protests continue in Kerala against arrest of its state president

PTI, Jan 15, 2024, 2:54 PM IST

The Youth Congress in Kerala continued with its protests against the arrest of its state president Rahul Mamkootathil by holding marches to government offices in some parts of the southern state.

Mamkootathil is currently in prison for allegedly leading violent attacks during a march in the state capital last month in protest against the assaults on Youth Congress (YC) and Kerala Students Union activists during the CM Pinarayi Vijayan-led Nava Kerala Sadas outreach programme.

The YC protest marches in Kasaragod and Alappuzha districts of the state resulted in use of barricades and water cannons by the police to prevent the protestors from reaching their intended destinations.

In the northern Kerala district of Kasaragod, YC activists held a protest march to the office of the Kanhangad RDO, but were stopped from reaching there by police barricades.

As the activists tried to bring down the barricades, the police resorted to use of water cannons to disperse the protestors.

However, the protestors dispersed only after bringing down the barricades set up by the police.

In the coastal district of Alappuzha, where YC activists held a march to the collectorate, the protest turned violent with police resorting to lathi-charge to disperse the protestors.

Police used water cannons and then resorted to lathi charge following breach of the barricades and stone pelting allegedly by the protestors.

Visuals of the protest showed YC activists, including women, lying injured on the ground following the police lathicharge.

Police personnel were also reportedly injured in the alleged stone pelting by YC activists.

The YC activists claimed they were beaten mercilessly by the police without any provocation.

They also alleged that women activists were beaten by male police personnel.

Subsequently, they dispersed from the area.

Mamkootathil was arrested by police from his house in Pathanamthitta on Tuesday for allegedly leading violent attacks during a recent march in the state capital.

A court had rejected his bail plea and remanded him to judicial custody.