THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The protest against the stabbing of a student inside the University College campus spilled over to the Secretariat also. KSU workers on Wednesday tried to barge into the fortified North Block of the Secretariat where the office of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan functions.
Four KSU workers, including a woman leader, who were present at the venue in front of the Secretariat where KSU president K M Abhijith has been on a hunger strike, scaled the gate and tried to muscle their way into the block. At that time the cabinet meeting was going on in the block. Though the male activists were caught by the security staff near the Durbar Hall, Shilpa, a KSU state leader, managed to reach the door that led to the block.
Waving KSU flag, Shilpa shouted slogans against SFI for allegedly unleashing violence on campuses. Though a woman security guard in civil dress was roped in to remove the protestor from the scene, Shilpa held on. Meanwhile, the security staff locked the grill to block her from entering the building. Thereafter, more woman officers from Cantonment station arrived and whisked away Shilpa from the highly secured zone.
Highly placed police officers said the entry of KSU activists into the secured premise of Secretariat was a security lapse. The Special Branch had earlier warned of such attempts from the part of opposition youth organisations.
Protest against assault of woman leader
KSU leaders alleged that Shilpa was brutally assaulted by the police after being whisked away from the Secretariat premise. Later, Congress MLAs P T Thomas and A Vincent staged a protest alleging that Shilpa was cruelly beaten up by police foiled their attempt to enter the college.