Sports day turn violent, students lathi-charged in Kerala's Kasargod

The sports day at Chemnad Jamaath Higher Secondary School in Kasargod, Kerala turned violent and police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the students, said Kasargod sub-inspector Ajithkumar. In the evening, the school principal called in the police when a student was bursting crackers and throwing crackers at other students, said the officers.

"A flying squad stationed outside the school went in and took the particular student under custody," he said. When the officers tried to take the student outside, around 100 students assembled at the school gate and blocked the police jeep, he added. "They called in for reinforcement and two jeeps full of officers were sent to the school," he said. By then, the students resorted to stone throwing and whisked the student who was detained first, he said.

The trouble spilled on to the Kasargod-Kanhangad coastal highway, and the students started blocking the highway, they said. "We had to resort to lathi-charge to disperse the crowd," he said. The students said nine of them were injured in the lathi-charge and admitted to hospitals in Kasargod. The SI said four of his officers were also injured. "We took a few students in custody to disperse the crowd. They were let off after their parents came to the station," he said.