Wayanad police arrested five persons for allegedly attacking many students including a woman Student Federation of India (SFI) leader Aparna Gowri and police officers. SFI Wayanad district joint secretary Aparna and a police officer were injured in the violence after the union election at the government polytechnic college at Meppadi.
"It was a clash between the students of Government Polytechnic, Meppadi in connection with the college elections. Police registered cases under sections of IPC," said police, as quoted by news agency ANI.
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The attackers, suspected to be part of other political parties operating in the government polytechnic, have also assaulted the Station House Officer (SHO) of Meppadi police station, Vibin AB, during the violence on December 2.
As per the FIR registered against one Alan Antony, 20, the officer has suffered multiple injuries including broken bones. “After the elections at the government polytechnic college, the attackers unleashed violence in which many students and police officers including the Meppadi station CI, were seriously injured,” said Meppadi police.
Meanwhile, the Left party and SFI alleged that the attack was unleashed by a drug mafia operating near the college.
“Comrade Aparna, district joint secretary of SFI in Wayanad, Kerala was brutally attacked by drug mafia in her college (Govt. Polytechnic College, Meppadi)… We will defeat drug mafia’s shrouding in campuses, often acting in disguise as apolitical gangs, by organising students and promoting anti-drugs awareness," VP Sanu, All India President of SFI, said in a tweet.
The CPI(M), in a statement, sought stern action against the drug mafia. Police have registered multiple cases in connection with the violence for attacking students, police officers and also for destroying vehicles.
(With PTI inputs)