Several injured as SFI, KSU clash at University festival in Kerala
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Thrissur, Kerala: Several students were hurt when activists from the Kerala Students Union (KSU) and the Students' Federation of India (SFI) clashed during a university youth festival in Mala in this district.
The conflict involved KSU, which is associated with the Congress party, and SFI, which is associated with the ruling CPI (M).
Television channels aired shocking visuals of the violent clash between the rival student groups at the ongoing D-Zone festival of Calicut University, held at a college in Mala. The altercation reportedly began around midnight on Monday over the timing of competitions, with police stepping in to restore order, PTI reported.
Students attacked each other with sticks and chairs. Footage also showed an ambulance being targeted while injured students were being transported to the hospital.
The injured students were taken to nearby state-run hospitals, sources said.
On Tuesday, SFI leadership claimed that one of the injured students was a member of their group and had sustained serious injuries in an attack allegedly carried out by KSU workers.
In response, KSU state president Aloshious Xavier accused the SFI of deliberately causing trouble during the festival to disrupt the event, claiming the violence was part of a premeditated plan.
When reporters asked about the visuals showing alleged KSU activists attacking SFI members, Xavier stated that he had not seen the footage and could not comment on it.
However, SFI state secretary P M Arsho refuted the charges, saying the KSU workers unleashed violence against the activists of the Left students' union.
He said the SFI lodged a complaint with the police against the alleged KSU attack, and the outfit would stage a protest in the colleges under Calicut University on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Maala Police registered two FIRs under various sections of the BNS and booked 20 people in connection with the incident.
Several students suffered injuries during the clash and one among them sustained serious wounds.
The condition of the injured student is stable as of now, police said.
An investigation is underway, they added.