Muslim Youth League state secretary Firoz booked for violence in Secretariat march

Thiruvananthapuram. Muslim Youth League (MYL) state secretary P K Firoz was arrested on Monday from Palayam here for the violence unleashed in the Secretariat march the outfit carried out on January 18. The Cantonment Police arrested Firoz for attacking cops, damaging public and private property and organising the march without taking permission. He has been charged under non-bailable sections, sources said.

Earlier, police had arrested 28 MYL workers in connection with the march. Police have also filed cases against about 100 people for violence during the march, sources said.

Firoz will soon be remanded, after a medical examination, reported Manorama News.

Protest against corruption
MYL had undertaken the march to protest corruption and nepotism in appointments for government jobs, and for not addressing the issue of unemployment. When they were blocked on their path, protesters hurled stones, bottles and flagpoles at the police and tried to remove barricades in front of the Secretariat.

The police fired many rounds of tear gas shells and also resorted to lathi-charges to disperse the violent protesters. Even passers-by complained about getting caught in between the clashes and experiencing breathing difficulty because of tear gas.