Kerala Police registers FIR against SFI workers who obstructed Guv Arif Khan's car

The Kerala Police has registered a case against seven SFI workers who allegedly obstructed and attacked state governor Arif Mohammad Khan's car on Monday, 11 December. The accused have been booked under IPC sections 143, 147, 149, 283 and 353.

IPC Section 124 was also added on the instruction of the Governor. Section 124 of the Indian Penal Code deals with assaulting the president of India or a governor of a state with the intent to restrain the exercise of any lawful power.

Of the others, the more significant include Section 143, which deals with unlawful assembly and carries a punishment of imprisonment of up to six months and a fine. Section 147 deals with rioting, punishment for which includes imprisonment for up to two years and a fine. Under IPC 353, anyone who assaults or uses criminal force to deter a public servant from performing their duty can be sentenced to imprisonment of up to two years and a fine; this is a non-bailable offence. 

On Monday, the Governor's car was allegedly struck by members of the Students' Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the ruling CPI(M). This incident, occurred while the governor was en route to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport to fly to New Delhi.

Khan claimed that there was a concerted effort to cause him physical harm, alleging the involvement of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He stated that the incident was not an accident, but rather a deliberate act of targeting him. 

"Is it possible that if a chief minister programme is going on, cars with protesters will be allowed there? Will the police allow anybody to come near the chief minister's (car)? Here (the) cars of the protesters were standing there, and police pushed them into their cars and they ran away," claimed Khan. 

"So, it is the chief minister—I am saying it clearly—who is conspiring and sending these people to hurt me physically. The goondas have taken charge of the roads of Thiruvananthapuram," continued Khan.

According to the police, Governor Khan's vehicle was blocked by SFI activists at one particular location. Seven members of the student organisation have been arrested in connection with that, the police said. 

The accused are Yadhukrishnan, Ashique Pradeep, Ashish RG, Dileep, Ryan, Aman Gafoor and Rino Stephen. According to the FIR, the governor was obstructed by seven SFI workers and 10 other identifiable people under the leadership of the SFI district committee, violating the law that no processions or demonstrations should be held on public roads.