THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: On the concluding day of the Nava Kerala Sadas yesterday, the police fired tear gas at the Congress leaders during the protest march led by the KPCC to the DGP office. The protest march, attended by about a thousand activists, turned violent. The front of the DGP office became a battleground as Congress activists and police clashed.

Opposition Leader VD Satheesan could not finish his speech. KPCC president Sudhakaran, who fell ill and Chandy Oommen were admitted to the hospital. The police action took place while Ramesh Chennithala and other MLAs and MPs were on stage. The leaders were drenched in water cannons. Usually, the police do not take such action until the leaders leave the stage.

Police used the water cannon at the protestors when the Congress activists threw stones and flagpoles at the police and tried to remove the barricade. They also fired tear gas shells. The protest was organised against the brutal torture and violence hurled at the Congress workers by DYFI members and the police officers, including the CM's gunman, during the Nava Kerala Sadas event.

The police fired the shell ten times. Congress activists who scattered to various directions camped on Manaveeyam Veethi and the road to Vellayambalam. The Vellayamabalam - Vazhuthacaud road witnessed street war for about an hour. Two media workers were also injured in the stone pelting. Later, the activists went to the KPCC office in protest. Three policemen were surrounded and beaten up by the protestors near Althara Junction.

On Saturday, the closing day of the Nava Kerala Sadas, Congress workers attempted to wave black flags against the Nava Kerala bus at many places in Thiruvananthapuram. Chandy Oommen MLA protested in front of the Puthuppally House wearing black clothes. Yesterday evening, Congress workers lit torches and staged demonstrations across the state.

Shell fell one and a half minutes into Satheesan's speech

At around noon, the activists, under the leadership of K Sudhakaran, V D Satheesan, Ramesh Chennithala and others, reached the road near Manaveeyam Veedhi as a demonstration from the Museum. The police stopped them using barricades 100 meters away from the police headquarters. The stage was set up by parking a lorry across the road. After Sudhakaran's opening speech, when VD Satheesan started speaking, a shell fell near the stage. He could only speak for one and a half minutes. K Sudhakaran, VD Satheesan, UDF Convener MM Hassan, MPs Shashi Tharoor, K Muraleedharan, Kodikkunnil Suresh, leaders like Adoor Prakash and Jebi Mather were moved to safety by leaders including DCC president Palode Ravi and KPCC secretary Sharathchandra Prasad.