Sit-in by Congress leaders before Kalady police station over detention of KSU workers

Kalady: Senior Congress leaders staged a sit-in protest before the police station here on Sunday, accusing cops of illegally taking into custody a few office-bearers of the Kerala Students Union (KSU) unit at the Sree Sankara College, Kalady.

Roji M John, MLA, led the protest and even “released” three KSU leaders from the cell after forcefully opening it. Other senior leaders, like Benny Behanan, MP, and Saneesh Joseph, MLA, too were present.

On Friday, a clash had erupted between some students, leading to the intervention of the police. The latter took one student into custody, but a group of students stopped the cops from taking him to the police station.

A case was then lodged against a few student activists and they were slapped with the charge of disrupting the official duty of public servants. The police then took five people into their custody from their houses on Friday night. They were later released after obtaining bail from the court.

But the cops then detained KSU Unit President Rajeev and two others on Saturday night. The senior Congress leaders protested before the police station from Sunday morning onwards, alleging the cops of illegally detaining the trio.

Roji John, MLA, then “released” the KSU leaders after opening the cell. Finally, the leaders agreed to withdraw the protest following talks with the Assistant Commissioner of Police.