Kannur Youth Congress Protest Turns Violent Over Student Death Case
Youth Congress workers in Kannur staged a protest march on Wednesday that escalated into violent clashes with police forces. The demonstration was organized to demand the immediate arrest of those accused in the death of BDS student Nithin Raj.
March Escalates Into Campus Violence
The protest turned confrontational when agitators breached police barricades established near the Anjarakandy dental college campus. As law enforcement attempted to restrain the advancing protesters, physical altercations erupted between the two groups.
During the ensuing chaos, some demonstrators vandalized college property, damaging windows and doors of the educational institution. Police authorities responded by detaining multiple protesters and forcibly removing them from the scene to restore order.
High-Profile Leadership and Organized Demonstrations
The protest march was formally inaugurated by Youth Congress state secretary Robert Vellamvally, with district president Vijil Mohanan presiding over the event. This marked another significant demonstration following previous protests against the dental college that had prompted heightened police presence on campus.
In a separate but related development, the Fraternity Movement organized another march to the Kannur commissioner's office to protest what they described as unacceptable delays in arresting the accused. Police deployed water cannons to disperse these protesters as tensions mounted.
Loan App Employees in Custody for Investigation
Meanwhile, employees of the loan application allegedly connected to Raj's death have been remanded to police custody for two days of intensive questioning. All accused individuals, originally from Uttar Pradesh, face multiple charges including:
- Section 308 (extortion) under criminal law
- Section 13 of the Kerala Money-Lenders Act
- Sections 9(1)(a) and 9(2) of the Kerala Prohibition of Charging Exorbitant Interest Act
Police authorities apprehended the suspects from Noida in Uttar Pradesh on April 16, with Chakkarakkal Police formally recording the arrests on April 17.
Widespread Impact of Loan App Investigation
The Kannur city police commissioner revealed concerning statistics during a press briefing, indicating that over 1,200 individuals from Kerala have reportedly fallen victim to the loan application in question. Investigators are actively working to determine whether the actual number of affected persons might be substantially higher.
The commissioner emphasized that comprehensive investigations are ongoing to uncover the full extent of the loan app's operations and its potential connection to multiple cases across the state.
