Kerala: Over 50 CPI(M) workers booked for locking up police officers

Kannur (Kerala) [India], February 21 (ANI): Thalassery Police on Friday registered a case against over 50 CPI (M) workers for allegedly locking up police officers and releasing an accused individual from custody on Thursday.
The accused, a CPI(M) worker, was wanted in connection with an assault on four police personnel during a temple festival the previous day.
As per police, "A case has been registered against over 50 CPI (M) workers for allegedly locking up police officers who were attempting to take into custody a person accused of assaulting police personnel a day ago amidst a temple festival near Thalassery."
According to Thalassery Police, the initial altercation occurred during a temple festival when clashes broke out between BJP and CPI(M) activists; police officers on duty intervened to control the situation but were allegedly assaulted by CPI(M) workers, who also obstructed them from performing their duties. Twenty-seven CPI(M) activists were named as accused in the assault case.
On Thursday afternoon, when police officers attempted to arrest one of the accused CPI(M) activists, they were confronted by a large group of party workers. The officers were reportedly locked inside a room, and the accused was forcibly freed from custody.
Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday inaugurated the National Convention on the Draft University Grants Commission (UGC) Regulations of 2025 to deliberate on the implications of the proposed provisions.
He said that these regulations threaten the autonomy of universities and aim to centralise higher education.
"These regulations threaten the autonomy of universities and aim to centralise higher education, undermining federal values. Academic freedom must be protected," CM Vijayan wrote in a post on X.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan released the Draft UGC Regulations on January 6, 2025. State governments have since raised objections, calling them "an attack on the idea of federalism.
"Kerala Higher Education Minister R Bindu, elected representatives from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, and leaders of various political organizations participated in the conference.
During the discussion, the leaders raised objections to the draft UGC regulations, which "curtail the federal structure of the country by diminishing the role of the state and increasing central authority in matters related to state universities." (ANI)