Kerala minister Veena George hurt, hospitalised during student union stir; CM slams 'goondaism'

KANNUR: Kerala health minister Veena George was injured during a protest by members of Kerala Students Union (KSU) at the railway station in Kannur on Wednesday afternoon. She was admitted to the district hospital before being shifted to govt medical college, Pariyaram, at night.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who was in the district at the time, visited the minister at the hospital around 4.40pm. Speaking at a function later, he said it was not political protest but "goondaism".


CPM leaders alleged that KSU members manhandled the minister. Congress and KSU denied the charge, claiming protesters did not even get close to her, and challenged CPM to produce visual evidence of any assault.

A small group of KSU members gathered at the station before the minister arrived around 3.20pm. She was scheduled to travel to Thiruvananthapuram after attending programmes. As she reached the station, protesters rushed towards her, waving black flags and raising slogans. Police present at the venue restrained them.

Footage showed the minister speaking to the protesters briefly as police formed a cordon around her. She later proceeded to the platform and was heard on the phone saying there was a scuffle and that she was experiencing neck pain. Speaker A N Shamseer, who was with the minister at the platform, alleged that protesters pushed her and twisted her hand, causing a neck injury. She was taken to the district hospital, where a scan and X-ray were conducted, and later shifted to the ICU.



A medical bulletin said an expert team from Pariyaram medical college examined her and recommended an MRI scan. Police registered a case for attempt to murder and other charges and detained five KSU members — district president M C Athul, district treasurer Akshay Matool, C HMubas, Mohammed Yassin and Bidul Balan.

As the incident occurred on railway premises, they will be handed over to railway police. CPM leaders, including M V Jayarajan, P Jayarajan and K K Ragesh, visited the minister at the hospital and later led a protest march from there. Denying any attack, KSU state vice-president P Mohammed Shammas termed the incident fabricated and said there was no video evidence to support the allegation.

Tensions later escalated when SFI members marched to the DCC office and attempted to enter the compound, prompting police intervention. Stones were thrown at the building, leading to a confrontation as Youth Congress and KSU workers inside tried to retaliate.

DCC president Martin George later led a protest march. KSU, Youth Congress and Muslim Youth League organised the black-flag protest against the minister over alleged recurring instances of medical negligence at govt medical colleges. Youth Congress staged similar protests at five locations in Kannur earlier in the day.