A group of madrassa students were allegedly subjected to assault after a tiff over pasting posters on private property escalated in Kerala’s Perambra.
According to the reports, the students said that they initially received approval from a private property owner to put up posters, who asked them to come later at night to conclude their work. However, on their return to the site with posters to be pasted and approaching for permission again, the situation turned hostile.
The students further alleged that they were compelled to go into a home where they were asked questions regarding religious topics and international issues surrounding Israel, Iran, Afghanistan, and Syria.
Allegations of Detention, Assault, and Communal Slurs
When students tried to leave the house, the assailants reportedly locked the gate, pushed them, and hit one of the students with a bangle. Further, when the students ran towards a nearby restaurant to alarm them, he was met with communal slurs by the attackers.
“They spoke communally and questioned us about the war,” one of the students, as per various media reports.
“They called us terrorists,” the students alleged.
The injured students were initially taken to Perambra Taluk Hospital and then were transferred to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital the next morning.
The injured students were initially taken to the Perambra Taluk Hospital and were later transferred to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital the next morning, following an account of their serious injuries.
The Fraternity Movement has alleged that Hindutva workers carried out the attack and warned that the incident may disturb communal harmony in the region.
“Even school-aged students were targeted, and those individuals involved included those associated with defense services, raising the seriousness of the incident,” the organization said.
“It is a severe crime to hurl communal slurs and physically attack minor students out of sheer hatred. The involvement of Sangh Parivar cadres, reportedly including a former soldier, makes this premeditated violence even more alarming. The police and the state government must take urgent and decisive steps to ensure exemplary punishment for the culprits and to maintain peace and harmony in the village,” the Fraternity Movement district committee said when speaking to FoEJ Media.
Despite the complaint, police have not registered a case so far.
The Fraternity Movement district committee plans to approach the Child Rights Commission and other authorities for action.
Meanwhile, the MSF Perambra committee condemned the attack and said alleged involvement of a central government employee increases the gravity of the incident. It demanded immediate arrests and justice for the students, warning that failure to act may trigger large-scale protests.
