Alvarez Alban, 40, from France and Derik MacDonald, 42, from England allegedly did not possess relevant papers that allow journalistic activities.Kochi: Two foreign nationals who clicked photographs of the tussle between the police and the students of Ernakulam Government Law College on Valentine’s Day were arrested for not holding valid documents. Alvarez Alban, 40, from France and Derik MacDonald, 42, from England allegedly did not possess relevant papers that allow journalistic activities.
Alvarez Alban reached India on journalist visa. But the PIB (Press Information Bureau) accreditation card he carried had expired on December 31, 2017. He is said to have informed the police that his application for the renewal of the card is pending with the PIB. MacDonald holds a tourist visa which does not allow him to carry out journalistic activities in India. They had reached Kochi on Tuesday and were lodged in a hotel in the area. The duo were arrested after Law College principal filed a complaint against the foreigners who allegedly trespassed on the campus and were seen clicking away as the brawl between Valentine’s Day enthusiasts and the authorities turned ugly.
Ananthalal, station house officer, Ernakulam central, said that after preliminary inquiry, the foreigners were handed over to the foreigners regional registration officer (FRRO), Kochi, for further action. They were let off after they furnished a written apology. They reportedly told the police that they clicked the pictures out of curiosity as the custom of celebrating V-day in a similar fashion did not exist in their place. The photos were deleted from the camera in the presence of the FRRO. The official further clarified that details regarding Alvarez’s application for renewal of PIB accreditation will be cross-checked.
V-Day march from Law College stopped
The march taken out by the Government Law College students to St Teresa’s College, Ernakulam courted trouble when police stopped the participants near the women's college. A spat ensued between the students and the police with the youngsters demanding that they be allowed inside the campus. The students were arrested and removed from the site.
The police stopped the Law College students near the St Teresa’s College, Ernakulam, Wednesday.The student leaders condemned the police action. They vowed to protest against the actions of the police and the Law College principal for filing a police complaint against the march.
‘March carried a message’
The participants of the V-Day march claimed that they had taken out the procession in support of the cause of transgenders. Some of the male students had dressed up as women. “The march was supposed to mark our protest against the violence and injustice meted out to transgenders. It was not a vain attempt to enter the St Teresa’s campus and ask crushes out on a date’, declared the furious participants.
St Teresa’s principal Sajimol Augustine said the college administration was prepared to ward off trouble. “We had a similar march from Law College on last year’s Valentine’s Day. Parents of our students had expressed their concern about the activity and wanted us to take action against it. We had requested for police protection and the gates were closed beforehand. Students and teachers didn’t know about the skirmish outside while it took place, only later were we informed of what transpired,” she said.
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