Kochi: The anger over the failure of the police in nabbing the accused responsible for the gruesome murder of a dalit student spilled over to the streets on Sunday as activists of ‘Justice for Jisha’, a Facebook collective, clashed with the police before the Perumbavur DySP office.
Over 16 activists were arrested and later released following the scuffle in the evening in which nearly 15 protestors and two police personnel were injured.
“Nearly 200 people joined us in the protest march to the DySP office demanding a foolproof probe into the murder. However, the cops, mostly male personnel, lathicharged us and woman activists like Suja Bharathy, Hasna, Tasni Banu, Maya, and Kavitha were hospitalized,” said Uma M N, an activist, said in a Facebook post.
Earlier, the protestors blocked traffic through the MC Road near Perumbavur Town. They were seen arguing with passengers in public transport buses.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Dalit Co-ordination Movement has called for a dawn to dusk hartal on May 10 across the state in protest against the delay in arresting the accused in the case.
The day and night strike by the LDF in Perumbavoor continued for the fourth day on Sunday. CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said in Perumbavur that Congress regimes had the dubious distinction of gruesome incidents such as Nirbhaya and Jisha murders.
“Why is Oommen Chandy reluctant to order a transparent probe headed by a woman police officer?,” he asked. Yechuri also visited the mother of Jisha undergoing treatment in a local hospital.
Senior Congress leader A K Antony also visited the victim’s mother. He demanded a speedy probe into the case.
