The Central police have arrested a Kerala Students Union (KSU) activist in connection with the case in which the Students’ Federation of India’s (SFI) unit secretary in Maharajas College, Abdul Nasar P.A., was stabbed on the campus on Wednesday midnight.
The arrested person was identified as Ijilal, a third-year Environmental Chemistry student of Maharajas College, and the eighth accused in the case. He was picked up from near the college on January 19 (Friday) morning. He was among the 19 accused in the case.
According to the first information report (FIR), Nasar was attacked by the activists of the Fraternity Movement and the KSU using knives, wooden planks and iron rods on the college campus.
The attack was instigated after Nasar lodged complaints and led the SFI to protest against the other two outfits. The victim was stopped by the accused and was attacked near the college central circle and chemistry lab. He was then slashed with knives and beaten up with wooden planks and iron rods, the police said.
A flash of knife at his throat by the first accused would have caused death had the victim not blocked it with his hands, said the FIR.
Maharaja’s College has since been shut down indefinitely.
The FIR, among other charges, invoked IPC Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons and means) 506 (criminal intimidation).
The incident came a day after the SFI staged a protest on the campus after a faculty member of the Department of Arabic was allegedly physically assaulted by a member of the Fraternity Movement.
College authorities received a complaint from Nisamudheen K.M., Assistant Professor and the staff advisor in-charge of the college union, seeking action against those concerned.
Counter charge
A few students affiliated to the Fraternity Movement also lodged a complaint against the faculty member alleging that he was showing leniency to the SFI while ignoring the other student organisations on the campus.
Earlier this week, KSU and SFI activists had also clashed on the campus.
