Kottayam: Two Dalit female students have been admitted to Kottayam Government Medical College Hospital after alleged attack by activists of the Students Federation of India (SFI) at Government College in Nattakom, near here.

As per a complaint lodged at the Chingavanam police station, the duo, Arathi Saji and A. B. Athmaja, third year students of BA Political Science, were assaulted by a seven-member group led by SFI unit president Jain Raj.

They suffered injuries in their arms and were first admitted to the Kottayam General Hospital before being shifted to the Medical College. Arathi hails from Muvattupuzha while Athmaja is a native of Kuttanad.

The incident took place on Monday afternoon. “We went to the college accompanying a friend who had completed the course and wanted to collect the caution deposit. We were talking standing on the verandah when seven SFI activists came yelling and attacked us without any provocation. First they attacked our friend, shouting at her: Why are you here?,” they said.

The attackers turned against Arathi and Athmaja when they tried to save their friend. “They surrounded us and roughed up, kicked and pushed us down. Hearing our screams for help, the other students rushed to the spot and saved us.

Though the ex-student of the college whom they accompanied, and one of their classmates had lodged a complaint with the Chingavanam police, the cops did not bother to visit the hospital to record the victims’ statements. On Tuesday, both Arathi and Athmaja went to the police station and gave their statements.

Personal enmity is said to be the reason behind the attack.

During the recent clashes between SFI and ABVP activists at the college, a group of female students including Athira and Athmaja staged a dharna in front of the college principal’s office seeking action to restore peace in the institution. Following this, eight student activists, including Jain Raj, were suspended from the college. “We had been facing threats from them ever since. They kept insulting us calling us Dalit terrorist and Maoists,” said Athira and Athmaja.

Dismissing the allegations, SFI district president K. M. Arun said the SFI had no role in the incident.

“We only alerted the college authorities when we came to know that some outsiders had entered the college,” he added.

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