Published Oct 01, 2026 | 6:52 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 01, 2026 | 7:40 PM
An unidentified man destroying the flex of Kodiyeri Balakrishnan during an SFI march in Kollam.
Synopsis: The activist was heard shouting slogans against the Youth Congress before tearing down the board, then rejoined the procession and continued shouting slogans. No one in the protest rally prevented him from destroying the flexboard featuring CPI(M)’s former state secretary. Kodiyeri was also a former state home minister.
A flex board featuring late CPI(M) leader #KodiyeriBalakrishnan was torn down during an SFI protest march in Kollam on Thursday, 1 October, triggering questions over whether it was a blunder or a deliberate act.
The incident occurred near the Head Post Office at Chinnakkada, Kollam, when an activist at the forefront of the SFI procession suddenly pulled down and toppled the flex board placed on the road median.
The activist was heard shouting slogans against the Youth Congress before tearing down the board, after which he rejoined the procession and continued raising slogans. No one in the protest rally stopped him from destroying the flex board featuring CPI(M) former state secretary. Kodiyeri was also a former state home minister.
The flex board had been installed at Chinnakkada earlier in the day as part of the observance of Kodiyeri Balakrishnan’s fourth death anniversary.
Visuals of the incident later surfaced, with a voice heard from within the crowd asking whether the board that had been torn down was Kodiyeri’s and whether there had been a mix-up.
The SFI Kollam district committee, however, distanced the organisation from the incident, stating that the person who tore down the flex was not an SFI activist or member.
According to the committee, the individual unexpectedly entered the procession and behaved inappropriately.
The committee said it had verified that the person had no membership at the area, local or unit level of the SFI. It said it would initiate a probe to see how he managed to join the protest march. It also said it would take legal action over the incident.
The SFI organised the protest march against the clashes reported in the state capital the previous day.
Many college and school students participated in the march.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
