Kerala Police use water canons, tear gas to disperse PFI workers from protest march

Thiruvananthapuram: Tension prevailed here on Monday afternoon after PFI activists, who participated in a protest march taken out by the Islamist outfit to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s official residence, engaged in a scuffle with the police.

The Popular Front of India (PFI) took out the march against the alleged bias of police in hate-related crimes in Kerala.

When the march reached a junction near Cliff House, the official residence of the Chief Minister, the police stopped the protesters by erecting barricades.

The protesters then tried to breach the barricades, prompting the police to resort to water cannons and tear gas shells to disperse them.

The activists also threw water bottles at the police.

The situation was brought under control by 2 pm after the PFI leaders addressed their workers.

In their address, the PFI leaders alleged that the police was adopting a discriminatory approach towards them while going soft on leaders of Sangh Parivar outfits, who have allegedly engaged in hate speeches.

The police have arrested 31 activists of PFI for allegedly raising hate slogans in its rally held in Alappuzha on May 25.