Football frenzy turns violent in Kerala; fans clash with police during roadshow
By Vipin Vijayan | First Published Nov 23, 2022, 1:44 AM ISTAcross the state, fans of this beautiful game have been organising a series of events, rallies, and roadshows in support of their favourite players and teams. In some places, the excitement has invited police interference and cases against fans.
Kerala is witnessing a football frenzy taking over the whole state as the World Cup matches got underway in Qatar. In various incidents, police have registered cases against football fans for unruly behaviour, pelting stones at policemen and creating a ruckus on the road while taking out rallies.
Across the state, fans of this beautiful game have been organising a series of events, rallies, and roadshows in support of their favourite players and teams. And, in some places, the excitement has invited police interference and cases against fans.
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In Kollam, football fans organised a roadshow on Monday, which soon turned into a public shuffle. Police are yet to register a case against the organisers in the absence of a complaint.
But in Palakkad, 22 football fans have been arrested for pelting stones at policemen during a rally. Two policemen were injured in this incident. Police resorted to the lathi charge to dispel the crowd.
According to the accused, the rally was conducted with prior permission to mark the launch of the World Cup, but the police took into custody even some onlookers. But the police report says that the rally caused traffic congestion across the town, and that is when they interfered.
A total of 40 persons have been taken into custody, of which the arrest of 22 has been recorded so far. And, in a similar incident in Aluva in Ernakulam district, police have registered a case against 50 vehicle owners for organising a rally across the town.
Fans rode two-wheelers and autorickshaws and drove cars dangerously, say the police. Some kept the doors and trunks of cars open, while others stood on the bikes' silencers. The rally had even children riding vehicles, allege the police, who are issuing notices against clubs in the locality for organising the rally.
Kerala is home to ardent football lovers, and this time the frenzy has already hit a fever pitch.
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