Kannur, March 12: Five activists from the Kerala Students Union (KSU) have been granted bail following their arrest during a protest against Kerala’s Health Minister Veena George at the Kannur railway station. The protest, which was marked by allegations of attempted murder, has taken a new turn as police testimony revealed that the demonstrators were unarmed and only engaged in pushing and shoving.
The Thalassery District and Sessions Court granted bail to the five accused, including KSU Kannur District President M.C. Athul. They faced charges under nine sections, including attempted murder.
The case gained momentum when three police officers from the Kannur Town Police Station informed the investigation team that the protesters, who displayed black flags, did not carry any weapons. According to the police, the incident at the railway station was limited to “pushing and shoving” rather than a violent attack.
Officials noted that the protesters aimed to register their dissent against the minister by displaying black flags. This statement is significant, as the prosecution had previously claimed that the accused attempted to attack the minister with weapons as part of a conspiracy.
Following the incident, dramatic circumstances unfolded. Minister Veena George was admitted to the Taluk Hospital in Kannur and later transferred to the Government Medical College Hospital in Pariyaram, where a 13-member medical team was assembled for her examination.
However, the situation escalated when the minister discharged herself around 4 AM the next morning against medical advice and traveled approximately 350 kilometers by car.
Opposition parties have criticized the events, impacting the image of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist). Following the KSU protest, CPI(M) workers marched across the state, causing inconvenience to the public.
Leaders from the Indian National Congress and KSU argue that the case is politically motivated, claiming that a routine black flag protest has been exaggerated into an attempted murder case. Notably, no visual evidence has emerged showing the protesters getting close enough to the minister to physically attack her, which has turned this incident into a political controversy.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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