Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Police have registered a case against 27 activists of the Students Federation of India (SFI), including its state secretary P S Sanjeev, who is named as the prime accused, following a violent protest at Kerala University. The case also includes 1,000 identifiable protesters accused of damaging public property, forcibly entering the university campus, and assaulting police and university staff, authorities confirmed on Tuesday.

Non-bailable charges have been invoked against the activists under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Kerala Police Act, and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. Police briefly detained the protesting individuals as they attempted to bring the situation under control. Visuals from the scene showed police officials in protective gear detaining SFI activists who were engaged in sloganeering. Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA MV Govindan was also present at the university campus.

The protest, which targeted Governor Rajendra Arlekar, saw SFI activists forcibly break open the university gate and clash with law enforcement. The activists had entered the Kerala University premises to protest what they termed the 'saffronisation' of universities.

The genesis of the row lies in SFI's opposition to the use of a 'Bharat Mata' picture during an event at Kerala University. Protesters were also agitated over the suspension of Vice Chancellor Mohanan Kunnummal. On July 2, Governor Arlekar, acting as Chancellor, appointed Ciza Thomas, Vice Chancellor of Kerala Digital University, as the Vice Chancellor-in-Charge of the University of Kerala from July 3 to 8, 2025, during Dr. Kunnummal's absence.

With inputs from ANI