Case Registered Against 50 Including SDPI Activists for Disrupting Government Program in Kasaragod

Kasaragod police have registered a case against approximately 50 individuals, including activists from the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), for allegedly attempting to instigate a communal riot. The incident took place yesterday afternoon in front of the Madhur Panchayat office in Uliyathaduka.

The case alleges that the accused tried to provoke a conflict by questioning the timing of a government program, asking why it was organized during Juma prayer time. Organizers clarified that the event was part of the government’s ‘Swachhata Mission’ (Cleanliness Mission), but the individuals reportedly persisted in their attempts to create a confrontation.

According to news reports from the final months of 2025, ‘Swachhata Mission’-related waste management activities and projects have encountered significant disruptions in various parts of Kerala, including Kasaragod. These interruptions are primarily attributed to strong local protests driven by concerns over pollution from waste treatment facilities.

In a related development, District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh last month instructed the Kerala State Pollution Control Board and the Swachhata Mission to conduct a detailed field-level study on a slaughterhouse waste treatment factory located in Ambayathode, Kozhikode district. This directive followed a recent clash between residents and police at the site over alleged environmental issues.

The incident in Kozhikode occurred on October 21, when members of a local action committee reportedly blocked trucks transporting waste to the treatment plant. They claimed that the facility was causing substantial pollution and emitting foul odors in the surrounding area. The protest, which had been ongoing for several years, escalated when police intervened and deployed tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.