The M.A. Khader Committee report on educational reforms sparked violence in the capital for the second time in three days when a demonstration taken out by the Kerala Students Union (KSU) led to a pitched battle, leaving several workers, including women, and two police officers injured.
The KSU announced a Statewide education bandh on Thursday in protest against the alleged brutality of the police.
The KSU protest, demanding withdrawal of the Khader panel report, turned violent a short while after it was formally inaugurated by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Mullappally Ramachandran.
Soon after senior leaders left the venue, KSU workers attempted to topple the barricade and barge into the Secretariat premises.
While the police attempted to disperse the protesters using water cannons, a few workers rushed to enter the riot control vehicle, prompting the police to lathicharge them.
The protesters soon regrouped and began to throw stones at the police.
The police then lobbed tear gas shells and smoke grenades at the protesters.
Back to the police
Midway, a few protesters got hold of a few tear gas shells and threw them back at the police.
The police lathi-charged the protesters at least five times to bring the situation under control.
Around 20 KSU workers, including State president K.M. Abhijith, were injured.
Two civil police officers Jayesh and Ratheesh sustained minor injuries.
The Cantonment police registered a case against 23 people, five of whom were under arrest.
Traffic along MG Road came to a standstill for nearly an hour.
Inaugurating the demonstration, Mr. Ramachandran accused the Left Democratic Front government of implementing ‘Tughlaqian’ reforms in the education sector. Congress leaders P.C. Vishnunath, Shafi Parambil and Roji M. John were present.