Pathanamthitta witnesses tense SFI protest, no march in Kottayam

Pathanamthitta town witnessed tense moments on Tuesday following a march by the SFI district committee to protest police action against its members in connection with the SFI-KSU clash in Thiruvananthapuram.

The protest march, which started from Pathanamthitta town towards the District Police Chief’s office, was blocked by the police by setting up barricades approximately 100 meters away from the office. However, the protesters refused to disperse and some even tried to climb over the barricade. Following this, the police forcibly took the SFI activists to the police station and later released them.

Following the protest, traffic on the main road connecting to Punalur-Muvattupuzha Road in Pathanamthitta town was disrupted. The protests were led by SFI Pathanamthitta district secretary Ananthu Madhu and district president Kiran.

Meanwhile, the protest march announced by the SFI district committee in Kottayam was postponed after no participants showed up. The committee had stated that the march would continue towards the Kottayam SP building at 11:00. The police took security measures in front of the SP building, set up barricades along KK Road and completely blocked the traffic and diverted it. However, the march had not started even after 13:00.

SFI Sources said that the march had to be postponed because the activists who went to the labor camps had not yet returned to the region. There is no clarity on when the postponed march will be held.