Perambra Clash: Five UDF Workers Arrested after Explosive Incident

Kozhikode (Kerala): Police on Wednesday confirmed the arrest of five United Democratic Front (UDF) activists in connection with the alleged use of explosives during the lathicharge at Perambra. The arrests came after early-morning raids on the homes of several party workers said to have taken part in the October 10 unrest.

“Five UDF activists were taken into custody, and their arrests have been formally recorded. They’ll be presented before the court later today,” a senior police officer said.

According to the FIR, a departmental photographer examined the footage captured on the day of the incident as part of the ongoing inquiry. The recording is said to show one of the UDF supporters, who had gathered illegally, throwing an “explosive device” with the intention of obstructing the police and putting their lives at risk.

The device exploded among the officers with a sharp report, the FIR stated. Police have booked the accused under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including provisions related to unlawful assembly and public endangerment.

The Perambra lathicharge on October 10 had stirred protests across Kerala, with the Congress and the UDF accusing the police of targeting party leader Parambil. He suffered nasal fractures in the melee and is receiving treatment at a Kozhikode hospital.