The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : CMP march turns violent

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Thursday, May 10, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

CMP march turns violent

Staff Reporter

Oommen Chandy flays police action against demonstrators

STUNNED: The police using water cannons to disperse Communist Marxist Party activists in the city on Wednesday. — Photo: S. Gopakumar

Thiruvananthapuram: At least eight protestors, including six women, were injured when the police used canes and its water cannon to disperse a Communist Marxist Party (CMP) demonstration that turned violent at Vazhuthacaud on Wednesday morning.

Resignation sought

The protestors were demanding the resignation of Health Minister P.K. Sreemathy for the death of infants due to "preventable" bacterial infection at SAT Hospital here.

The 100-odd demonstrators were headed for the Health Minister's residence. They were stopped by the police at Vazhuthacaud.

The violence started when some of the activists tried to breakthrough the police cordon.

The police responded by swinging lathis and directing jets of water at the activists. Some of the demonstrators were chased and beaten by the police.

Dharna staged

Later, they staged a dharna by squatting on the road. CMP State secretary C.P. John inaugurated the protest. Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy condemned the police action against the CMP activists.

He termed the police action brutal. In a press release here, Mr. Chandy said the police had not even spared woman activists of the CMP's Kerala Mahila Association. He accused the State Government of resorting to fascist methods to crush the right to protest in a democratic and legitimate manner.

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