A medical student in Jammu suffered head injuries in a scuffle between two groups over the movie The Kerala Story, a report by PTI said. The incident has sparked protests at a Government Medical College (GMC) with participants demanding an inquiry and appropriate action against the culprits.

Jammu Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Chandan Kohli said an investigation into the matter is underway.

What happened?

The protestors said the scuffle took place late Sunday night, May 14, when a student shared a link to the controversial film on the official group of first-year students. The action was objected to by one of his batchmates stating that the group is meant for academic purposes only.

The student, who had objected to the sharing of the link was later confronted and assaulted inside the hostel, leading to a scuffle as more and more students along with a few outsiders joined, PTI reported.

The students alleged that members of a right-wing group were also brought into the hostel from outside, who shouted religious slogans and attacked one of the students with a sharp-edged object, injuring him in the head.

Two more students also sustained injuries during the assault. The outsiders fled after police rushed to the scene to control the situation.

Students protest

Following the incident, a group of students boycotted their classes and assembled outside the GMC hospital on Monday morning, May 15, to press for an inquiry and demand appropriate action against the culprits.

"It was a deliberate attempt to disturb the peaceful atmosphere. The Kerala Story movie is not some holy sculpture. People have different opinions with regard to the controversial film," a student told PTI.

Principal GMC Shashi Sudhan Sharma visited the protesting students and assured them that action will be taken as per the law of the land.