Kochi: The Kochi Police on Wednesday took two foreign scribes into custody for allegedly trespassing into the Government Law College and attempting to record a rally held by students in connection with Valentine’s Day celebrations there.
Alban Alvarez, a French national who works as a correspondent for the French news channel FRANCE24 in India and Derek Mac Donald, a British national, were taken into custody from Law college in the morning. The duo was handed over to the Foreigners regional registration Officer, Kochi, for further action.
“Alvarez possessed a journalist visa to India though validity of his accreditation by the Press Information Bureau expired on December 31 last year. The other person, a British national, is on a tourist visa and during interrogation, he failed to furnish documents permitting him to practice as a journalist in the country,” said Ananthalal, Station House Officer, Ernakulam Central.
The Principal called in the cops after the duo refused to leave the college premises despite repeated requests. “We acted on a complaint by the college principal that the duo trespassed into the college,” the officer said.
Earlier in the day, chaotic scenes were witnessed when the cops prevented Law students from holding a march to St.Theresa’s college for women in connection with the Valentine’s Day celebrations. The students sought to resist the police move initially but the police eventually succeeded in confining them within the college campus.
According to police, the march was prevented citing that its organisors had not obtained permission from the authorities concerned. However, no cases have been registered in this connection.
