KOCHI: Kochi Central police on Monday arrested three SFI activists for torching the principal’s chair at Maharaja’s College. Prajith K. Babu, Rohit Ronson and Muhammad Ameer were arrested and a case has been registered for the destruction of public property. They were remanded after being produced before the court. It was on January 19 that a group of SFI activists went on a rampage by burning the college principal’s chair which triggered widespread protests.
The police also arrested Mulavukadu Palliparambil Saju, an INTUC worker, for destructing the properties of Maharaja’s College during the students’ protest. Saju has been remanded for 14 days. INTUC workers had allegedly entered Maharaja’s campus during the clashes between SFI and KSU activists. Meanwhile, the police arrested five DYFI activists for assaulting a student of the Ernakulam Government Law College. Cheruparambil Amal, 24, Pazhukkathara Harshom, 23, Puthenpurackal Devanand, 21, Thuruthipady Afzal, 24, and Kottakkal Ajmal Ali, 23 were arrested by the Central police for the attack on Sharon in the aftermath of the violence in Maharaja’s College.
Meanwhile, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has strongly condemned the police for trespassing into the houses of KSU and Youth Congress leaders and using abusive language against their family members. “The police is creating an atmosphere of terror by rushing into the party leaders’ houses and threatening their parents,” he said. “The police are treating SFI leaders who burnt the principal’s chair in one way while dealing with KSU workers who protested against this in another way.” He also criticised the government for its failure in resolving the Law Academy row.
