A march taken out by the activists of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) to the Collectorate, demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister in the Solar Panel issue, turned violent on Monday. Seven DYFI activists and two police officials, including an Assistant Commissioner of Police, were injured in the scuffle. The police had to use water canons to disperse the protestors who tried to push through the barricades and hurled stones against the police officials.
ACP Bijo Alexander and senior Civil Police officer of Thrikkakara Police station sustained injuries in the violence. The march was taken from the premises of the Thrikkakara municipality. Police used barricades to stop the march when the protestors reached near the KBPS Press, which led to the scuffle. Some of the protestors snatched the lathis from the police while some others pelted stones at the officials, leaving ACP Bijo Alexander injured.
Police personnel from Kalamassery, Thrikkakara, Ambalamedu, Tripunithura, Maradu, Panangadu and Udayamperoor were deployed to tackle the protesters. DYFI activists C P Sajal, K M Shihab, P K Biju, O A Salahudeen C A Rajeev, M M Anwar, Ajesh were also injured. They were later admitted to the Thrikkakara Cooperative Hospital. T V Anitha, central committee member of the DYFI inaugurated the march.
P Vasudevan, district President of the DYFI presided over while former MLA A M Yusuf, S Satish and K P Rejeesh also spoke. Thrikkakara police registered cases against 200 activists.