KOTTAYAM: The protest march took out by BJP - Yuva Morcha activists in Kottayam turned violent on the third consecutive day on Wednesday. As many as 15 persons, including nearly 10 police personnel, a television journalist, and BJP leaders injured in stone-pelting and ensuing lathi charge by the police to disperse the violent agitators.
The injured include, BJP Kottayam district president N Hari, Changanassery DySP, V Ajith, Ettumanoor CI, A J Martin, ASI Latheef, CPO Madhu, and Janam TV reporter Sreejith Chandran. They were admitted to various hospitals.
It all commenced after the BJP - Yuva Morcha activists’ march organised in protest against the Nattakom ragging incident, reached at district Collectorate at around 11.30 am. With protestors started pelting stones at police, who were camped in front of the Collectorate entrance on K K Road, police resorted to lathi charge and fired tear gas shells to disperse the activists. However, the scattered agitators reached at the second gate and continued to pelt stones to Collectorate premises, which injured many police personnel, including DySP Ajith. Reporter Sreejith collapsed at the Collectorate premises after inhaling tear gas.
Traffic along busy K K Road was disrupted for nearly one hour following the march and ensuing violence.
However, the police team led by Ajith, soon took control of the situation and dispersed the agitators from the scene. The police also arrested many activists in connection with the incident. At the same time, BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan, who was supposed to inaugurate the march, abstained from the
meeting in view of violence.
Violence ruled the scene in the march took out by BJP activists in Kottayam on Monday in protest against the attack on district president Hari’s car on Sunday night, and ABVP’s march held on Tuesday, in connection Nattakom ragging incident, also turned violent.