Wayanad: Police arrested five activists of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) from Wayanad Government Engineering College at Thalappuzha near Mananthavady in connection with an attack on activists of the pro-United Democratic Students’ Front (UDSF) on Monday night.

The apprehended are Anu Chand, 20, a native of Kozhikode; Govind, 20, a native of Alappuzha; Alfrin George, 20, a native of Thrissur; Muhammed Hashil, 20, a native of Palakkad; and Rinshad.

The FIR states that the accused struck Adil Abdulla, 20, the Kerala Students’ Union (KSU) unit secretary of the college, in the face with a kada (Idivala) as an act of revenge for assuming the KSU unit secretary position despite warnings from SFI activists.

Four UDSF activists, affiliated with the KSU-led pro-Congress students’ front, were admitted to Government Medical College Hospital by noon on Monday. Among them, Adil Abdulla’s condition was serious, as he suffered a broken nose in the attack. Four SFI activists were also hospitalised.

The incident occurred around 11.30 am when SFI activists allegedly attacked Adil Abdulla and three of his friends, leading to the mobilisation of students from both groups on campus.

The clash was reportedly a continuation of a previous altercation between UDSF students and members of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) near Jose Theatre in Mananthavady town the other day.