Nava Kerala Sadas: Youth Congress-led protest turns violent in Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram: The protest marches in Kerala on Wednesday, spearheaded by the Congress, became violent in many locations. The protesters attempted to breach police barricades in Mukkam, Kozhikode, and Kochi, and clashed directly with the police. Protest marches are being carried out at 564 police stations across the state. The protests were called in response to reports of violence against activists from the KSU and Youth Congress in the name of the Nava Kerala Sadas.

In the march led by the opposition leader VD Satheesan to the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, the banners of the Nava Kerala Sadas were torn. Stones and sticks were thrown at the police. The police then fired water cannons. The protesters also tried to enter the Secretariat premises. They also allegedly beat the police with sticks. 

Congress has also decided to organise a protest march to the police chief’s headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram on December 23, the concluding day of the Nava Kerala Sadas.

Youth Congress state president Rahul Mamkootathil was tried for arrest, however, activists stopped the police. Currently, along with Rahul, women workers are also protesting in front of the Secretariat. The current protest is about women workers' clothes being torn apart. The activists are chased and beaten by the police. Youth Congress workers broke the windows of two police buses. Currently, the Youth Congress is intensifying the protest. Opposition leader VD Satheesan reached the spot and took the injured women Congress protestors to the hospital. He also said that the violent attack on the party workers will including tearing clothes of women will not be tolerated and that they will definitely intensify the protest.

• Youth Congress protest
• Kerala