Kozhikode: Five of the seven UDF activists who were in the custody of the Perambra police have been arrested for allegedly hurling explosive substances at police officers during a protest held in Perambra last Friday.

Congress sources said seven UDF workers were taken into custody, out of which five were later arrested. The activists were identified as Sajeer (Cheruvannur), Arun Muyyottu, Naseer (Velliyur), Krishnanunni (Velom), Rasheed (Valyakkodu), Musthafa, and Midlaj.

Party sources alleged that the arrests, made during early morning raids on Wednesday, were an act of police retaliation following the UDF protest against the assault on MP Shafi Parambil and other workers.

Although the protest took place on Friday, a case under explosives-related charges was registered on Monday evening. The complaint was filed by Station House Officer P Jamsheed, based on video footage captured by a police cameraman during the protest.

According to the FIR, police identified the alleged use of explosives while reviewing footage connected to another case related to the same march, in which Shafi Parambil MP and DCC president Adv K Praveen Kumar are named accused.

Following the registration of the case, both the dog squad and bomb squad were called in for inspections.