The Kerala Police Association on Sunday strongly condemned the assault on a police officer in Thiruvananthapuram by SFI activists, terming the incident an insult to Kerala's democratic and progressive values.

In a statement, the Association said the incident, where a police officer was followed and attacked for performing official duties, was shocking and deeply disturbing. It warned that such acts were attempts to create lawlessness in society and called upon the democratic public to unite against them.

The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon at the Mall of Travancore. According to visuals circulating on social media, four youths followed Civil Police Officer Midhun Roy to the mall and verbally abused him. The visuals show an altercation during which Midhun and one of the youths pushed each other, after which the officer was attacked. The police said that the youths were SFI activists. 

According to FIR, the assault was allegedly in retaliation for police action carried out on New Year's Eve at Shankumugham Beach. An officer from Vanchiyoor Police Station said that Midhun Roy was among the officers deployed on duty who intervened during an SFI programme at Shankumugham as part of official responsibilities, following which tensions escalated.

The Vanchiyoor Police registered two cases in connection with the incident- one against the SFI activists and another against Midhun.

The Police Association pointed out that the incident in Thiruvananthapuram was part of a worrying pattern. It cited earlier instances where marches were organised to the homes of police officers for carrying out official duties, and where photographs of officers and their family members were circulated on social media with the intent to harass and humiliate them.

The continuation of such campaigns, allegedly carried out by some members of a responsible political organisation, was a matter of grave concern, it added.

The Association urged political parties and the wider public to collectively oppose attacks on police personnel and protests that undermine democratic principles. It also demanded a thorough investigation into the latest incident and strict action against those responsible.

The Association further called on the police department and the state government to take urgent steps to ensure the safety and sense of security of officers engaged in law enforcement duties.