Youth activists of Congress, CPI(M) clash in Adoor; ex-MLA Mamkootathil booked

Widespread clashes broke out among youth activists of the Congress and Communist Party India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] in Adoor in the district, prompting the police to register three cases against activists, including former Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, officers have said.

The police said on Sunday that three cases were registered against activists of the Kerala Students Union (KSU), the Youth Congress, the Students Federation of India (SFI), and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI).

Tension began following college union elections at the College of Engineering, Adoor, on Saturday (October 10, 2026), the police said.

The situation escalated after SFI and DYFI activists took out a protest rally in Adoor against the detention of CPI(M) leaders in New Delhi, the police said.

The first case pertains to the alleged attack on two KSU leaders by DYFI and SFI activists in front of a medical store at Ezhamkulam during the protest rally around 7 p.m. The police registered a case against seven SFI and DYFI activists in connection with the incident, officers said.

In the second case, two SFI activists were allegedly attacked by a group of around 25 KSU and Youth Congress activists, led by Mr. Mamkootathil, at Adoor General Hospital around 10.50 p.m., the police said.

The police have registered a case against Mr. Mamkootathil and 26 others who are Youth Congress and KSU workers, officers said.

The third case relates to the alleged attack on a Youth Congress worker by SFI activists at a private hospital at Adoor around 11.30 p.m. The Youth Congress worker had reached the hospital to meet a KSU activist injured in the clash, the police said.

Minor clashes were also reported from other parts of Adoor on Saturday night, the police said, adding that efforts were under way to defuse tension and prevent further clashes.

Last year, Mr. Mamkootathil, who was then the Palakkad MLA, was suspended from the Congress following allegations of sexual assault. He had also resigned as Youth Congress State president following the allegations. Multiple sexual assault cases were registered against him, and he was arrested, the police said. Although Mr. Mamkootathil currently holds no position in the Congress, he continues to express support for the party through regular posts on his social media accounts.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mamkootathil told reporters that he became involved in the incident because the KSU and Youth Congress workers who were attacked were his friends. He was responding to questions about his involvement in the clash despite being ousted from the party.

Mr. Mamkootathil denied assaulting anyone and alleged that the DYFI and SFI workers had attacked two KSU workers.

Fenny Ninan, a Youth Congress leader and close friend of Mr. Mamkootathil, told reporters that the DYFI workers had attacked the KSU workers and that the Youth Congress workers’ response was part of the ensuing clash. He said Mr. Mamkootathil had led Youth Congress workers in the past.