Kerala - Pathanamthitta   

SFI protest turns violent

Staff Reporter

Pushpagiri Medical College office ransacked

MAYHEM: Broken glass panes lie scattered in front of the office of the Pushpagiri Medical College in Thiruvalla on Monday.

PATHANAMTHITTA: A demonstration by Students Federation of India (SFI) activists at the Pushpagiri Medical College (PMC) office in Thiruvalla on Monday turned violent.

The demonstration was held in protest against the decision of the Self-Financing Medical College Managements' Association to conduct separate entrance test for the MBBS course on June 17.

According to the PMC Director (HR) Santhosh Azhakathu, a group of SFI workers, led by district president R.Manu and secretary K.U. Janeeshkumar, barged into the Principal's room at 2 p.m. and went on the rampage, destroying furniture and breaking the door glass panes.

Fr. Azhakathu alleged that the SFI activists tore up photo copies of application forms of the entrance test, which they had brought from outside.

A PMC security personnel Varghese Mathew was injured in the attack.

He has been hospitalised, Fr. Azhakathu said.

He alleged that the SFI workers tore up `photo copies' of application forms, creating an impression that it was the `original' with the aim of sabotaging the entrance test scheduled for June 17.

SFI denies charge

The SFI district secretary, in a statement here, clarified that barring destruction of a few application forms, the federation workers had done no damage to the college property.

15 arrested

Meanwhile, a police party led by Sub-Inspector K.R. Pratheek arrested 15 SFI activists, including Mr.Manu and Mr. Janeeshkumar, in connection with the incident. The police have registered a case.

The accused were released on bail, later.

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