Kannur: Police booked SFI activists, including state president K Anusree, for burning an effigy of Governor Arif Mohammed Khan at Payyambalam beach here on Sunday. Kannur town police registered the case against 20 persons under IPC sections 143 (unlawful assembly) and 285 (negligent conduct involving fire or combustible materials).
The 30-foot effigy was burned around 6.30 pm on New Year's Eve as part of SFI’s ongoing protest against the Governor for his alleged attempts to saffronise state universities by appointing pro-BJP members.
Police said the case was registered for burning the effigy at a public place without adopting any security measures. SFI leaders had said there was a deliberate effort by the Governor to saffronise the higher education sector in the state. Individuals appointed by the Governors acting as agents, and such interventions should not be accepted, said the SFI leaders after burning the effigy. The case was registered on Sunday night.
