Kerala may be basking in the glory of Argentina and its captain Lionel Messi having won the FIFA World Cup on Sunday, December 18, but the victory celebrations were marred by incidents of clashes being reported from several parts of the state. A teenager, Akshay (17), who was part of the celebrations at the Lal Bahadur Shastri stadium in Kollam district, collapsed on the ground and was soon rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The cause of his death is expected to be known once the autopsy result comes out.
Police were also attacked by the public in parts of the state. In other parts of the state, especially in Kannur, the victory celebrations of supporters turned violent. Three people suffered injuries when they were attacked with knives in Palliyanmoola. According to reports, the attack took place during a clash between supporters of different teams. Anurag, Adarsh, and Alex Antony sustained injuries and are under treatment while six others have been taken into police custody.
In Thiruvananthapuram, a sub-inspector of police was attacked by those who were celebrating Argentina’s victory. Pozhiyoor Sub-Inspector Saji was kicked after he tried to pacify some who were in a delirious mood during the celebrations. One person, Justin, was arrested immediately, while SI Saji is under medical observation.
In Thalassery too, a sub-inspector of police was beaten up during celebrations. In Kochi’s Kaloor, visuals of a policeman being beaten and dragged on the ground amidst the celebrations emerged. Meanwhile, reports of violence have also been reported from a few other cities and towns in Kerala.