Students' march turn violent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Protest marches taken out at district headquarters by pro-Congress Kerala Students Union (KSU) turned violent in some parts of the state with agitators clashing with police and pelting stones at vehicles.

Condemning the violence, state Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakarishnan on Thursday accused the marchers of adopting "naxalite model" tactics to demoralise the police".

The statewide demonstrations were organised on Wednesday to protest the police action on KSU workers during a march to the government secretariat here two days back demanding withdrawal of a class VII textbook allegedly containing detailed Leftist politics.

In Malappurarm, Pathanamthitta, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kochi, police stalled the marchers and canecharged to disperse them. The agitating students pelted stones at police and some vehicles were damaged in the melee.

The Home Minister told reporters here that the police had been handling the agitation with utmost restrain but the other side was trying to provoke the law enforcers by challenging their morale.