A year may have passed since their beloved son’s life was stubbed out on the campus that he loved.
But, for the parents of M. Abhimanyu, who was stabbed to death in the early morning hours of July 2 last year, the anguish and suffering inflicted on them by the loss of their son remains a festering wound as was evident at a commemorative meeting organised on the first anniversary of his death at Rajendra Maidan on Tuesday.
There was hardly anyone not in tears when the slain SFI leader’s mother Bhoopathi let out a heart-rending cry, hugging the flex board of his late son put up at the venue. Her husband, Manoharan, an emotional wreck, remained a mute spectator.
17 KSU workers arrested
Tension prevailed briefly when KSU activists, who had been on a protest demanding that the arrest of the remaining accused in the murder should get preference over a memorial, came face-to-face with SFI workers. In the wake of the Kerala High Court verdict to ensure the peaceful conduct of the commemorative function, the police arrested 17 KSU workers, leading to a minor scuffle between the police and the protesting activists. Later, they were released after being charged with unlawful assembly.
The district committee of the SFI organised a slew of activities to mark the occasion, including a march from the High Court junction to Rajendra Maidan, which was attended by thousands of students from various colleges in the district, throwing traffic out of gear.
CPI(M) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan; Minister for Power M.M. Mani; CPI(M) State secretariat member P.Rajeev; and SFI national president V.P. Sanu, were among those present.
Mr. Balakrishnan said that Abhimanyu’s martyrdom would motivate students in the fight against communalism.
The foundation stone for the proposed study centre in memory of Abhimanyu at Kaloor was also laid by Mr. Balakrishnan in the presence of Abhimanyu’s parents. It will come up on the Kaloor-Kathrikkadavu road on six cents of land bought using a part of the fund collected by the party to support Abhimanyu’s family.