KSU activist held for stabbing SFI leader in Maharaja's College

Kochi: The police here on Friday arrested a KSU activist Ijilal for allegedly stabbing SFI leader Nasar in Maharaja's College here. Sources close to police hinted that more people will be arrested in connection with the violence on the college campus.

Ijilal, a Kannur native is named as the eighth accused in the case over a complaint lodged by SFI. Ernakulam central police have booked 15 KSU-Fraternity activists under nine offences including unlawful assembly,  rioting, voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means and criminal intimidation.

Third-year degree student Abdul Malick is named as the first accused in the case. As per the FIR, a protest organised by SFI against a Fraternity activist who attacked a professor ended up in the stabbing.

According to police, around 22 people are booked under the Hospital Protection Amendment Act for creating ruckus in a hospital.

The clash between the activists of the SFI, the student wing of the ruling CPM and the Kerala Students' Union (KSU) and Fraternity, another youth outfit, broke out on the campus late on Wednesday night.

The two groups even clashed with each other in the nearby general hospital where they were taken for treatment, police said.

Three cases were registered in connection with the midnight clash. One case was based on the complaint of the assaulted SFI leader Abdul Nasar P A while the second one was registered on the basis of the complaint lodged by KSU's Amal Tomy. The third one was filed by a doctor of the general hospital for allegedly obstructing his duty, police said.

"Various student outfits on the campus have been at loggerheads for some time over the college elections. The present clashes were the continuation of that ongoing tussle," a police officer told PTI.

SFI alleged that the KSU-Fraternity activists initiated the clash by attacking their unit secretary, Nasar, with a knife, wooden panels and liquor bottles. He is currently under treatment at a hospital for his injuries, they said.

The KSU-Fraternity activists, however, rejected the charges and alleged that many of their workers suffered injuries in the attack unleashed by SFI workers.

According to the FIR, Nasar was attacked inside the campus late on Wednesday night by the activists of the KSU and Fraternity. This was allegedly in response to the SFI leader's protest against them regarding another incident inside the college.

A case has been registered against 14 KSU and Fraternity activists and five other students in this regard, police said.
The accused came with the intention of attacking and killing the victim, the FIR pointed out.

"The accused threatened to kill Nasar after blocking him near the chemistry lab inside the campus and hacked him with a dagger all over the body multiple times," it said.

On Wednesday, an assistant professor was allegedly hit with a sharp object from behind by a student at the same college following an argument over the suspension of another student, police said.

(With PTI inputs)