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Minister Directs Investigation Into Hostel Violations
Kerala Higher Education Minister Roji M John ordered an investigation into the alleged use of liquor and the presence of outsiders at the Kerala University men's hostel following clashes between Students' Federation of India (SFI) and Youth Congress activists. The directive was issued on Thursday, October 1, 2026, in response to violence that occurred the previous night in Thiruvananthapuram, as reported by EdexLive.
John stated that the Higher Education Department would separately examine how illicit substances entered the hostel and how outsiders accessed the college campus and hostel. Speaking to reporters, the minister emphasized that while campuses should be places for creative debate and active student politics, "throwing liquor bottles and stones taken from university and college hostels at peaceful and democratic protests is an extremely serious issue," per EdexLive.
The investigation follows major violence reported on Wednesday night after Kerala Students' Union (KSU) and Youth Congress activists organized a protest march against the Union government and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The clash erupted when the march reached the area near the university hostel, according to police reports cited by New Indian Express.
Conflicting Accounts of Violence and Police Response
Youth Congress and KSU activists alleged that stones and beer bottles were hurled at the marchers from the hostel. Conversely, SFI and Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) activists alleged that protesters threw burning torches at hostel inmates. The conflicting accounts highlight the severity of the confrontation on campus grounds, with both sides pointing to the other as the instigator of the violence.
Police intervention was required to disperse the groups, resulting in a lathi charge inside and outside the hostel. The use of force led to injuries and heightened tensions across the campus, as reported by India Today and Moneycontrol. Police registered separate cases against 80 Youth Congress/KSU activists and 80 SFI/DYFI activists for their roles in the violence in Palayam, Thiruvananthapuram, according to New Indian Express.
The accused were booked under non-bailable sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Kerala Police Act, and other laws. Police stated that those involved would be summoned and arrested as part of the ongoing inquiry. The scale of the arrests indicates the gravity with which authorities are treating the breach of peace on university grounds.
Political Allegations and Condemnation of Separate Attacks
Political leaders from the Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPM], and Bharatiya Janata Party [BJP] traded allegations regarding the causes of the violence and the subsequent police actions. The incident has drawn sharp criticism from various political quarters, with each party seeking to assign blame for the disorder that marred the campus environment.
In addition to the hostel clashes, Minister John registered a strong protest against an attack on his vehicle by DYFI activists. He described the attack on Minister O.J. Janeesh’s vehicle as anti-democratic and unacceptable, according to EdexLive. This separate incident underscores the broader tensions surrounding student politics in the state during this period.
The probe into the hostel violations aims to determine the extent of external involvement and the breach of campus security protocols. Authorities are currently processing the cases against the detained activists while maintaining a heightened security presence around the university premises.
