One person was arrested in connection with the clash between BJP activists and police personnel in Kovalam on Tuesday, which left a police officer injured.
The incident took place at the Kovalam junction while a group of BJP workers were forcibly closing down shops in protest against the alleged attack on one of their colleagues by DYFI activists the previous night.
With a section of traders resisting attempts to close down their outlets, the incident snowballed into an altercation with a police team arriving to restrain the BJP activists. Thiruvallam sub-inspector Sreekanth Misra, who led the team, was allegedly attacked by the group and sustained significant injuries on his right arm, following which he was admitted to the General Hospital. A BJP worker, identified as Gokul, from Kovalam, was arrested by the Kovalam police for the alleged attack.
Soon after the incident, a group of BJP activists launched a demonstration and accused the police of unleashing violence upon them. They also took out a protest march to the Kovalam police station later on the day.
The developments on Tuesday came close on the heels of a clash among DYFI and BJP activists a day ago over certain graffiti drawings that were made by the former, prompting the rival group to attempt to mask them. A BJP worker was injured in the clash and was admitted at the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital. Four DYFI activists had been taken to custody, the police said.
