15 students booked for ‘stamping on PM’s photo’

At the conclusion of a union election campaign at MES Kalladi College in Mannarkkad, fifteen students were taken into custody after they tore a photograph of the Prime Minister, stepped on it and shouted slogans. Police reports indicate that the students were identified as members of the Students' Federation of India and the Muslim Students Federation, two groups that are active in campus politics across the state. The incident occurred in the college courtyard, drawing a crowd of onlookers before law enforcement intervened.

Student unions in Kerala have a long history of organizing protests and expressing dissent on national issues, often using symbolic actions to convey their message. While the constitution guarantees the right to peaceful assembly, the act of damaging a public figure’s image can be classified as a criminal offense under the Indian Penal Code. Authorities have charged the fifteen individuals with offences related to defamation and public disorder, and they will appear before a local magistrate in the coming days. The case is being investigated by the district police, who have also seized the torn photograph as evidence.

The case highlights the tension between freedom of expression and the legal limits placed on political protest in India. For readers across the country, it serves as a reminder that actions taken on college campuses can quickly attract legal scrutiny and may influence public debate on the appropriate boundaries of dissent. Legal experts say that courts will weigh the intent of the protest against the severity of the alleged offence. The outcome of the legal process could set a precedent for how similar incidents are handled in other states, affecting student activism nationwide.