Kerala's Health Minister Veena George was allegedly attacked during a protest by KSU activists in Kannur, sparking arrests and further unrest related to medical negligence concerns.
Key Points
- Kerala Health Minister Veena George was allegedly attacked during a protest by KSU activists at Kannur railway station.
- The FIR alleges the minister was attacked with a 'weapon' by KSU activists protesting medical negligence in government hospitals.
- Five KSU activists have been arrested and remanded to judicial custody in connection with the alleged attack.
- Congress and KSU leaders deny the allegations of an attack on the health minister.
- Separate cases have been registered against Youth League and CPI-M activists for related protests and violence.
The police first information report (FIR) into the injury suffered by Health Minister Veena George following a protest by Kerala Students' Union (KSU) activists stated that she was allegedly attacked with a 'weapon' at the railway station in Kannur.
Five arrested KSU activists, the student wing of Congress, who were protesting frequent incidents of alleged medical negligence in government hospitals in the state, were remanded to judicial custody.
According to the FIR registered by the Kannur Railway Police, when George and her gunman reached the first platform of the railway station to board the Vande Bharat Express at around 3.15 pm on Wednesday, KSU activists, with the intention to commit a crime, allegedly trespassed into the area carrying a 'weapon'.
They held black flags, raised slogans including 'kill her', approached the minister and attacked her neck with some 'weapon', the FIR said.
When the gunman attempted to stop them, he was allegedly attacked and restrained.
They also obstructed the minister and the gunman from performing their official duties, the FIR added.
The FIR was registered based on a complaint filed by gunman Abhilash M S under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Railway Act, including provisions related to attempt to murder.
The arrested KSU activists were produced before a court in Kannur early Thursday morning and remanded to judicial custody, police said.
George was first admitted to Kannur District General Hospital after she complained of neck pain and discomfort in her right hand and was later shifted to Pariyaram Government Medical College Hospital in Kannur.
Congress and KSU leaders have denied the allegation of the attack on the minister.
Other Protests and Violence
Similarly, a case was registered against 10 activists of the Youth League affiliated to the Muslim League for allegedly protesting with black flags when George's official vehicle reached near AKG Hospital in Kannur on Wednesday.
In a separate incident, a case was registered against seven Communist Party of India-Marxist activists for allegedly assaulting Youth League leader Shajeer Iqbal while he was protesting as the minister's vehicle was passing through Peringome here on Wednesday afternoon.
Meanwhile, incidents of violence were reported in various parts of the state late Wednesday night.
CPI-M activists allegedly torched a Congress booth committee office at Kodiyeri in Kannur.
Police have begun an investigation into the incidents.
Violence and protests were also reported from Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram districts.
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