THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After SFI activists, it was the turn of the activists of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Yuva Morcha to experience the bitter taste of the lathi of the police on Monday. Several BJP and Yuva Morcha activists were admitted to city hospitals with serious injuries after they were battered by the police in order to disperse their protest march that turned violent.A few days ago, college students supporting the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) had also received a similar treatment from the police when they took out a protest march to the State Legislative Assembly complex in protest against the educational policies of the State Government.Untoward incidents started at Statue junction in front of the Secretariat with the march taken out by the Yuva Morcha activists to the Accountant General’s office to protest against the recent fuel price rise.Even though the agitators were blocked by the police at the gate of the AG’s office, Vibhash, district secretary of Yuva Morcha, amidst the ruckus, evaded the police and managed to climb on top of the office gate.However, he lost his balance and fell on the ground on the other side of the gate, while the police were trying to bring him down to safety. Vibhash fractured his leg following the fall.Even though the police managed to disperse the agitators, they returned with increased vigour along with BJP workers and marched to the Secretariat condemning the police action.They were again blocked by the police when they tried to barge into the Secretariat premises. In the lathi-charge that followed, CP Hari, district secretary of SC Morcha, suffered severe battering at the hands of the police, causing him to lose as many as four front teeth.BJP leaders, including district general secretaries Advocate Suresh and Venganoor Satheesh and district secretary Ajith, were also injured in the lathi-charge of the police. All of them were admitted to the Medical College Hospital and General Hospital here.Meanwhile, a few policemen were also injured in the clashes.Cantonment Assistant Commissioner Krishnan Nair and Sub-Inspector J Santhosh Kumar were among the policemen who suffered injuries.The police have registered a case against over 10 BJP and Yuva Morcha activists who could be identified at sight in connection with the incident.In a statement issued later in the day, BJP district president Karamana Jayan demanded action against the policemen who had brutally beaten up the agitators.BJP State president V Muraleedharan also condemned the police action.
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