50 migrant workers held for Christmas violence in Kerala

TIL Desk/National/Thiruvananthapuram/ Fifty workers of a garment company were arrested in connection with the Christmas day violence in Kizhakkambalam area of Ernakulam district and produced before a magisterial court in Kochi, police said on Monday.

On Saturday night, Christmas day celebrations by migrant labourers from the north-eastern states of India at Kizhakkambalam turned violent, leading to several policemen being brutally assaulted and two police jeeps badly damaged, with one set on fire.

Eight policemen, including a circle inspector, were injured in the violence and subsequently, police lodged two cases — one for the assault on the officers which also includes attempt to murder charges and the other for destruction of property — and arrested 50 people in connection with the incident.

The police had initially taken 150 people into custody on Sunday morning itself. Rural superintendent of police K Karthik had said that two cases have been lodged in connection with the incident on December 25 night and the investigation was going on to identify all those involved in it and to collect evidence.

Visuals of the violence which went viral on social media showed a large group of people surrounding the police vehicles, climbing on top of them, pelting them with stones and then thrashing them with sticks, leaving the vehicles in shambles.