Black flags waved at Kerala Guv: 20 SFI activists arrested

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Police on Sunday arrested 20 SFI activists in connection with two separate instances of waving black flags at Governor Arif Mohammed Khan during the day.

The black flags were waved at the Governor near Vazhuthacaud in the state capital when Khan was on his way to an event organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry, police said.

Eighteen activists of the Students Federation of India (SFI) were arrested in connection with that incident,

police said.

Later, black flags were waved at the Governor when he was returning from the event and two more activists of SFI, the student wing of the CPI(M), were arrested, an officer of Museum police

station said.

Two cases under various sections of the IPC related to unlawful assembly, rioting and obstruction of public way as well as provisions of the Kerala Police Act have been lodged against them, the officer said.

All the arrested SFI activists were released on station bail, he added.

Visuals of the incident showed SFI activists waving black flags and one of them running alongside the Governor’s vehicle with a placard before he was caught by the police.

Many others could be seen being restrained by the police along both sides of the route.