Thrissur, 26 July (H.S.): Thrissur Government Law College was ordered shut temporarily following a clash between activists of the Kerala Students Union (KSU) and the Students' Federation of India (SFI) over preparations for the college's three-day arts festival, scheduled to begin on Monday.

The confrontation reportedly broke out while students were making final arrangements and rehearsing for the event. The dispute quickly escalated, prompting the college authorities to intervene and suspend academic activities until further notice as a precautionary measure to prevent any further unrest on the campus.

According to SFI activists, the confrontation was deliberately triggered by KSU unit joint secretary Moses Sojan and general secretary Aljo with the intention of disrupting the smooth conduct of the arts festival. SFI leaders said their organisation, which is in charge of the Arts Union, had been coordinating preparations for the event and alleged that attempts were made to derail the festival at the last minute.

KSU, however, rejected the allegations and accused SFI activists of instigating the violence during rehearsal sessions. Party members claimed that SFI supporters initiated the confrontation and attempted to blame KSU for the incident. They maintained that the clash was the result of provocation by SFI workers rather than any planned attempt to disrupt the festival.

The exchange of accusations has further intensified tensions between the two student organisations, both of which have a significant presence on the campus. No serious injuries were immediately reported, and there was no official confirmation of any arrests in connection with the incident.

In the aftermath of the clash, the college administration announced that the institution would remain closed until further notice. Authorities said the decision was taken to ensure the safety of students and staff and to restore normalcy on the campus before academic and extracurricular activities resume.

It remains unclear whether the scheduled arts festival will proceed as planned once the college reopens.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman