Kozhikode: Left activist and the Koothuparamba police firing survivor Pushpan passed away on Saturday. He was 54. Bedridden for nearly three decades due to the severe injuries sustained in the tragic incident, he breathed his last around 3.30 pm at the Baby Memorial Hospital in Kozhikode.

He had been receiving treatment at a hospital in Thalassery since July 31 after his health deteriorated. However, when his condition showed signs of improvement, he was transferred to the Kozhikode hospital for further care, where he died. Pushpan is the son of the late Kunjikutti and the late Lakshmi. Sasi, Rajan, Prakashan, Janu and Ajitha are his siblings. 

Koothuparamba Firing
The incident happened on November 25, 1994, at Koothuparamba in Kannur during a protest organised by the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). The demonstration opposed the then Congress-led state government's decision to allocate a larger share of merit seats to the management quota, a move seen as a step toward inviting private investment in Kerala's higher education sector. 

Tensions escalated when police, in an attempt to control the protesters, opened fire, resulting in the deaths of five DYFI workers. Many others were injured, including Pushpan, who was left paralysed and bedridden for the rest of his life. The firing shocked the state, leading to widespread outrage and criticism of police actions and government policies.