The Youth Congress’s agitation in front of the Secretariat here seeking a CBI probe into the Shuhaib murder case took a violent turn on Monday as the activists clashed with the police here.
Youth Congress State president Dean Kuriakose and vice president C.R. Mahesh, who were on a hunger strike, were hospitalised after complaining of breathlessness.
Incensed over the government’s refusal to cede to their demand and expressing solidarity with the hunger strike, the activists took out a demonstration to the Secretariat. While the police soon brought to control an initial clash, the agitation turned violent after the activists began to hurl stones, bottles, and sticks towards the premises of the Secretariat.
As the police fired several rounds of tear gas shells and grenades to disperse the protesters, the YC workers scattered in various directions, only to regroup within a short while. Faced with a tense situation, the police lathi-charged the activists, resulting in many sustaining injuries.
Eight persons, including five YC activists and three police personnel, had to be rushed to the General Hospital. Mr. Kuriakose and Mr. Mahesh had to call off their 8-day-long agitation after they suffered uneasiness when a tear gas shell landed close to their protest ‘pandal.’ They were soon hospitalised.
The agitation was quelled after around an hour with Congress leaders relenting to the calls made by the police to withdraw from the strike.
The protesters damaged a riot control vehicle.
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