On Wednesday (November 2), hooligans associated with the Student Federation of India (SFI) locked the Principal of a college inside his room for 6 hours. The incident took place at the Kattappana Government College in the Idukki district of Kerala.
As per reports, the warden of the women’s hostel had reprimanded two students for arriving late to the hostel on October 28, 2022. The warden, who also happens to be a teacher at the college, had sought an explanation from the duo for flouting the hostel’s rules.
Following the incident, two SFI goons, namely, Jishnu K.B. and Ranjith barged into the women’s hostel and verbally abused the warden. On Tuesday (November 1), the Principal of the Kattappana Government College, V Kannan, was forced to take disciplinary action against the two.
. @TheKeralaPolice begging, pleading, praying to a bunch of students of @SFI_CEC ( 18-20 yr old) to let him check if the principal whom they locked inside his room is safe.
— Aswin Nandakumar (@journalistaswin) November 2, 2022
Yes, principal was locked by students. #keralamodel#goondamaitripolice pic.twitter.com/sghrWkNBiB
Jishnu and Ranjith were suspended by the college administration till November 10, 2022, for threatening the warden and illegally entering the women’s hostel.
In a bid to avenge the disciplinary action against their fellow comrades, SFI (the student wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)) goons locked V Kannan inside his office for 6 hours. He was also denied food during the illegal confinement.
Although the staff council were against the idea of revocation or suspension of the SFI leaders, they were forced to relent after the police refused to remove the goons. The suspension for Jishnu K.B. and Ranjith was reduced to 5 days from the initial 8 days.
Look who just got out of his bed and came for strike. SFI Leader!!😂😂 pic.twitter.com/rIUbbrFz4B
— Aswin Nandakumar (@journalistaswin) November 2, 2022
In a tweet, journalist Aswin Nandakumar wrote, “. The Kerala Police begging, pleading, praying to a bunch of students of SFI ( 18-20 yr old) to let him check if the principal whom they locked inside his room is safe. Yes, principal was locked by students.”
He further added, “Girls come late to the hostel. Warden cited rules, and said flouted safety norms.The action was to be taken, college chairman, and SFI leaders threaten the principal. The duo gets 8 days suspension. Sfi protest. Locks principal for 3 hours. Police too pleads. Suspension reduced to 5 days. Strike withdrawn.”
SFI activists and their hooliganism in colleges of Kerala
On October 25, goons associated with the left-wing Student Federation of India (SFI) issued threats to a college principal in the presence of police officials. The incident took place at the Maharajas Technological Institute in the Thrissur district of Kerala.
As per reports, five SFI goons led by their Thrissur district secretary Hassan Mubarak barged into the Principal’s room and threatened the acting Principal, Dr P Dileep, with physical harm.
A video of the incident has now gone viral on social media. “We will tell you one thing. If you continue to show hooliganism against the students here, I will break your legs,” Hasaan was heard saying in the video.
അധ്യാപകരുടെ കൈയ്യും കാലും വെട്ടാൻ എത്തുന്ന SFl തൃശുർ ജില്ലാ ഘടകം. അതും തൊപ്പി വച്ച് നിൽക്കുന്ന പോലീസ് ഏമാൻ്റെ കൺമുന്നിൽ. നല്ല അടിപൊളി സംസ്കാരം. കേരളത്തിൻ്റെ ഭാവി എങ്ങോട്ടെന്ന് പ്രത്യേകം പറയേണ്ടല്ലോ pic.twitter.com/Pvo7nQ5jD4
— Anil Padmanabhan🇮🇳🕉️🚩 (@anilp68) October 31, 2022
“I’m warning you. It won’t be like what you have been doing against the students so far. It will be completely a new game that you are going to witness tomorrow. I will show you what I can do when you step out of the campus,” he continued his threats against the Principal.
Hassan Mubarak further warned, “Don’t show hooliganism to students. If you dare to touch the students again…you should beg pardon in writing…I will break your legs. Dare to show hooliganism? will set you ablaze.”
In August this year, SFI goons locked up the principal of the Karyavattom Government college in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. The Principal’s only mistake was that he refused re-admission to an SFI leader in the same course, after the completion of his degree the previous year.
Reportedly, the SFI goons demanded that their leader be enrolled in the same course as he had some papers to clear. However, the principal of the Karyavattom Government college refused to entertain their request.
Miffed by the decision, the SFI activists locked the Principal in his cabin for over an hour. They also raised slogans demanding the re-admission of their leader.
#Breaking#SFI students lock up principal in office, create ruckus: #CPIM student-wing students also tried to prevent police officials from entering college campus, demanded readmission of their leader to a course he had completed.
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) August 23, 2022
Siddhartha Talya & @Viveknarayantw with more. pic.twitter.com/1F8XGejSjX
The student activists also accused the Principal of acting out of political interests. On being informed about the matter, the police rushed to the college, but the student activists tried to forcibly stop them from entering the college campus, thereby leading to a scuffle.
The police had to resort to a lathi charge to pacify the situation. Reportedly, 4 cops including Kazhakootam Assistant Commissioner were injured during the chaos that broke out in the college. Nonetheless, the police were able to rescue the Principal and escort him to safety.
They also arrested the student activists, who were responsible for the illegal confinement of the college Principal. A large contingent of police personnel was deployed at the Karyavattom Government college to keep the situation under control.
