Kochi: Congress' Kerala Students Union (KSU) has said its opponent, the Student Federation of India (SFI), affiliated with the ruling CPM, is desperate to have a martyr.

The police have taken a KSU member into custody in connection with the attempted murder of an SFI leader at the Maharaja's College here.

Mohammad Ijlan, a third-year degree student, was held in connection with the hacking of Abdul Nasar P A, unit secretary of SFI in the Maharaja's College, Wednesday night.

Pleading innocence in the incident, KSU district leadership on Friday said its activists had no role in the attack. KSU has accused the media of turning a blind eye to the alleged attack on its members by the SFI.

The KSU leaders said the SFI has been targeting student leaders who challenge its dominance in the college. "Our Ernakulam block committee president Amal Tomy has been admitted to hospital after SFI workers hacked him on Monday. It is not the first time he has been attacked. There was an attempt on his life in January 2022 and a probe is still on into the incident," KSU district president K M Krishnalal said at a press conference at the district Congress office.

He said SFI activists barged into the hostel and set afire the properties, including certificates of KSU activists, Thursday night. "SFI is not in a mood to stop violence. They have been provoking those who stand against them after facing electoral setbacks in colleges in different parts of the state. They are desperate to have a martyr," he said. KSU general secretaries Mubas Odakkali, Al Ameen Ashraf and Priya CP attended the press conference.