Police Assault SFI Students Protesting Against Governor's "Saffronisation" Move at Kerala University

Thiruvananthapuram: Student protests surged against the Governor's attempt to implement a Sangh Parivar agenda at Kerala University with the backing of the UDF government. An SFI-led protest march to the university headquarters was met with police action, with several students — including women — sustaining injuries in a lathicharge.

Police stopped the march at the university gate, deploying water cannons against the students. When SFI activists refused to retreat, police resorted to a lathicharge, leaving students with injuries to their heads and faces. Male police personnel were reportedly involved in attacking women students.

Despite the crackdown, students broke through the police cordon and entered the university premises. SFI state secretary P S Sanjeev, president M Sivaprasad and others led the protest.

The demonstration was organised against the Governor's move to saffronise the university and the UDF government's support for it. The protest was also sparked by the Governor's participation in a National Sports Day event at the university, during which Vande Mataram was sung in its entirety — a practice that has been a flashpoint in Keralam's political discourse.