The Congress-led agitation over the University College issue came to a head when activists of the Kerala Students Union (KSU) and Youth Congress (YC) engaged in a pitched battle with the police on Monday.
Fifteen people, including Assistant Commissioner, Fort, R. Prathapan Nair, Mathrubhumi Online cameraman Praveen Das, and 13 KSU-YC activists, were injured in the clash. Two police jeeps were vandalised.
The demonstration that was led by YC State president Dean Kuriakose turned violent after agitators attempted to topple the barricades erected in front of the Secretariat main gate, close to the protest venue of KSU State president K.M. Abhijith who was on a hunger strike.
Various objects were also thrown at the police who exercised much restraint as they initially confined their anti-riot actions to the use of water cannons alone.
However, things got out of control when the protesters hurled stones and glass bottles at the police, prompting the latter to fire grenades and teargas shells and resort to lathi-charging.
The demonstration was thus brought to an abrupt end.
The Cantonment police registered a case against 500 people. Six activists were arrested.
The KSU also declared a Statewide educational bandh in protest against the alleged police excesses.
