Pathanamthitta town witnessed tense moments on Tuesday following a march taken out by the SFI district committee in protest against alleged police action on its members in connection with the SFI–KSU clash in Thiruvananthapuram.

The protest march, which began from Pathanamthitta town towards the office of the District Police Superintendent, was blocked by police by erecting barricades around 100 metres from the office. The protesters, however, refused to disperse, and some even attempted to breach the barricade by scaling it. Following this, police forcibly shifted the SFI activists to the police station and later released them.

Traffic along a key road in Pathanamthitta town, which connects to the Punalur–Muvattupuzha Road, was disrupted in the wake of the protest. SFI Pathanamthitta district secretary Ananthu Madhu and district president Kiran led the protests.

Meanwhile in Kottayam, the protest march announced by the SFI district committee was postponed after no participants turned up. The committee had stated that the march would proceed to the Kottayam SP office at 11 a.m. In anticipation, police had made security arrangements in front of the SP office, erecting barricades along KK Road and completely blocking and diverting traffic. However, even after 1 p.m., the march had still not begun.

SFI Sources said the march had to be postponed as actvists who had gone for study camps had not yet returned to the district. There is no clarity on when the postponed march will be held.