THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/KOLLAM: Tension prevailed in front of the official residence of Higher education Minister KT Jaleel here late on Sunday after the Youth Congress and Yuva Morcha workers staged a protest demanding his resignation when he got back from Malappuram. Jaleel had faced a spate of protest while en route from his residence at Valanchery to Thiruvananthapuram in his official vehicle.
At Kollam, the workers hurled a rotten egg at the official vehicle when the minister reached Karunagappally. Further on at Parippally, where the Thiruvananthapuram district begins, Jaleel’s official vehicle and the accompanying police vehicle were waylaid by Yuva Morcha workers by parking another vehicle across in front.
However, the police caned the workers and removed the vehicle clearing the way for the minister. The Parippally police arrested four activists - Abhijith, Vaishnav, Vipin and Praveen - who have been charged with attempt to murder.
Finally, when the minister swept into his official residence around 9 30pm, Youth Congress and Yuva Morcha activists marched towards the residence raising slogans against him. When they tried to gatecrash his residence, they were blocked by the police who later caned some of the workers to disperse them.
Though the workers staged a sit-in on the road, the police arrested them and they were herded into the police vehicle. A large battalion of police led by the cantonment assistant commissioner is stationed in front of the official residence as part of the security.
They have been booked under Sections 143, 147, 148, 149, 188, 283 and 332 of the Indian Penal Code, which pertained to various offences including unlawful assembly, rioting, and voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from discharging his duty, an official said.
Four arrested on charges of attempt to murder
The police caned the workers and removed the vehicle clearing the way for the minister. The Parippally police arrested four activists — Abhijith, Vaishnav, Vipin and Praveen— who have been charged with attempt to murder.