Law Academy stir: BJP march turns violent

Thiruvananthapuram: A march taken out by BJP activists demanding resignation and arrest of Lekshmi Nair, Principal of Kerala Law Academy law college amid controversy over alleged harassment of students, Wednesday allegedly turned violent leading to police lathicharge.

The trouble started when the march reached in front of the Academy at nearby Perookada and the activists started squatting on the road and some of them tried to break the police barricade, police said.

Police used water cannon and lathis to chase away the agitators who hurled stones at the personnel, they said. Media persons and press photographers were among those injured in stone pelting. A camera of a news photograher was also damaged.

BJP National Executive member V Muraleedharan is on an indefinite fast in front of the Academy for the past few days demanding action against Lekshmi Nair.

Students of the Academy were also on the agitational path for the past 22 days demanding resignation of the principal of the college, a private institution.

Meanwhile, a dawn-to-dusk hartal called by BJP in the district Wednesday to protest police lathicharge on party activists Monday, passed off without any untoward incident.

Shops and business establishmnets remained closed. Vehicles also kept off the roads.