SFI protest march turns violent in Palakkad, Kannur

October 11, 2011: The march taken out by the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) activists in Palakkad and Kannur as a protest against the police action on students in Kozhikode yesterday turned violent on Tuesday.

The protestors pelted stones at the Palakkad collectorate building and the police launched grenades to disperse the agitated mob. Violence was reported in Kannur after protestors pelted stones towards the IG’s and SP office. Some of the mediapersons of TV channels were also attacked by the raging agitators.

The Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Radhakrishna Pillai’s decision to open fire on protesting activists in Kozhikode had triggered widespread protests.

Opposition leader and CPM stalwart VS Achuthanandan on Tuesday demanded that the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Radhakrishna Pillai who opened fire on protesting Students Federation of India (SFI) activists in Kozhikode be not allowed to continue in service.

Demanding strong action against ACP, Achuthanandan told reporters here on Tuesday that the incident showed that the government had given its consent to the police to use any means to suppress the students protesting against the admission of Nirmal Madhav to the Government Engineering College, Kozhikode, in alleged violation of all norms.

The protest in Kozhikode had not created a situation that warranted police firing. The government owed an explanation as to who authorised the officer to open fire, VS asked.

CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan today demanded a judicial probe into the cruel police action on the SFI activists who staged a protest march to Kozhikode Government engineering college in connection with the Nirmal Madhav issue on Monday.

Speaking to the reporters here on Tuesday, CPM leader added that the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Radhakrishna Pillai had fired four rounds of shots at the SFI march without Executive Magistrate’s order.

Meanwhile the Director General of Police (DGP) has sought a probe report on the incident in which police fired in the air after a protest march by SFI. DGP has directed City Police Commissioner Sparjan Kumar to submit the probe report today. An explanation has been sought from Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Radhakrishna Pillai who fired four rounds of shots at the activists.

Nirmal Madhav had allegedly got admission to fifth semester at the intervention of Kerala Higher Education Secretary violating admission norms. The SFI had launched a series of agitations against his admission on the ground that Nirmal was not eligible for admission to the college as he was a student of a self-financing college.

The protest march held by the SFI to oust Nirmal who was given admission breaching admission norms which turned violent. The police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the agitated mob.

Following the police action, SFI state secretary P Biju sustained severe injuries to his head. The protest was held outside the campus and the protestors pelted stones at the police and in turn they used grenades and tear gas shells to disperse the protesting activists.