A protest march taken out by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists to the office of the District Police Chief (Kozhikode City) demanding the resignation of Minister for Higher Education K.T. Jaleel turned violent on Thursday.
The riot police confronted the protesters with water cannons and followed it up with a lathi charge when they attempted to break the barricade. At least four activists, including BJYM district president T. Reenish and Mahila co-ordinator Amrita Bindu who were injured in the lathi charge, were admitted to hospital.
Earlier, BJP Kozhikode district president V.K. Sajeevan inaugurated the protest march that began from Arayidathupalam. The police erected the barricade near the DDE office at Mananchira to block the march. The protesters also picked Mananchira Road and later took out a march on Bank Road.
MYL march
Meanwhile, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader Parakkal Abdulla, MLA, accused the CPI(M) of creating underworld dons by protecting the higher-ups in the gold smuggling case.
Inaugurating a protest march organised by Muslim Youth League (MYL) activists in front of the district collectorate here on Thursday demanding Mr. Jaleel’s ouster, Mr. Abdulla said the Chief Minister might have referred to his own party leaders when he said that the heartbeat rate of certain individuals would go up once the investigation progressed in the gold smuggling case.
Mr. Abdulla said the people of the State had never to face such shameless governance. Mr. Jaleel, who usually boasted his achievements before the media, was now keeping mum when he was subjected to interrogation by the Enforcement Directorate and the National Investigation Agency, he alleged.
The MLA said his party and its affiliates would not rest until the tainted Minister was expelled from the Cabinet.
The police employed water cannons to disperse the protesters. They also picketed Wayanad Road in the afternoon.
