Thiruvananthapuram turns war zone

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The capital city turned into a battlefield on Friday between the police and the protestors who were demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy over the solar scam.  

Around 10 police officers and over 25 DYFI activists  were injured in violent incidents,   the worst the city has  witnessed in over half a decade.

The  police  used over 40 teargas shells and an equal number of stun grenades to disperse the agitators who hurled petrol bombs and stones at the policemen.

Around 12.15 p.m., the DYFI workers started a march towards the cantonment gate of  the secretariat.  Stone-pelting started from the rear end of  the march and the police opened water cannons at the protestors.

In the lathicharge that followed, several CPM workers, including DYFI  state president M. Swaraj and district president A. Raheem suffered injuries. Swaraj fractured his fingers and had serious injuries on the forearm and shin.

The protestors who retreated to the Spencer junction threw  petrol bombs, teargas shells and stones at the policemen.

Ten policemen, including Peroorkada CI Suresh Babu and Cantonment SI Sivakumar, were injured. The CI was hit by a shell thrown back by the crowd.

The police  registered cases against 250 identifiable men. Several bleeding activists who were injured  on the head and back sought medical help at the General Hospital.  

The police had to retreat a couple of times as the grenades were used up and supplies had to be replenished from the AR camp.  Around 2.30 p.m., leaders including MLA V. Sivakutty arrived at the scene  and dispersed the crowd.

CPM leaders, including MLA Thomas Isaac, visited the injured in the  hospital.

Earlier at 11a.m.,  the Yuva Morcha and the BJP also protested in front of the secretariat and a BJP worker identified as Manjith was injured in the lathicharge, police said.