Using muddy water to disperse AIYF, AISF protesters: Pinarayi brings sample to rally

Police use water cannons on All India Students Federation and All India Youth Federation activists as they protest at a rally demanding withdrawal of PM SHRI program in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. Former minister and Communist Party of India MLA K. Rajan is seen among the protesters. | Photo credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN

Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan brought a bottle containing a sample of contaminated water to the Assembly during the discussion on the Revised Budget 2026-2027 on Monday (June 22, 2026) alleging that the police used water cannons filled with contaminated water during the assembly march organized to protest against the decision of the All India Students’ Federation in All India Youth Federation (All India Youth Federation) and AIYF Youth Federation to go ahead with the agreement of PM Shri.

Mr. Vijayan brought the matter to the attention of the gathering and said that the police had sprayed highly contaminated water on the protesters. Holding up a bottle of water collected from the protest site, he claimed that the water was extremely dangerous and could spread amoebic encephalitis.

Responding to the allegation, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said it was not the first time water cannons had been used on protesters in the state. However, he clarified that the water used in the cannons was collected from the Kerala Water Authority. It was not known if debris accumulated in the tank contaminated the water. He also assured the House that the sample would be sent to a laboratory for testing and that instructions had been issued to the Commissioner of Police to investigate the matter.

The minister further said that the issue will be taken seriously and steps will be taken to ensure that a similar incident does not recur.

As opposition members demanded further discussion on the matter, spokesperson Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, who explained that he was also sprayed with water from water cannons, said the matter would be discussed again after receiving the laboratory results.

K. Rajan, MLA, who was present at the start of the march, said he was not afraid of water cannons or other means used by the police to disperse the protesters. However, he claimed that the quality of the water used was extremely poor and that it had even changed the color of the girl’s dress. Police used water cannons three times on activists who tried to overcome barricades erected at the protest site. The protesters claimed that initially black mud was sprayed, followed by yellow murky water from the tank.

Published – 22 Jun 2026 20:37 IST