Protests in various parts of Kerala by Cong, BJP seeking Minister Veena George's resignation

Several parts of Kerala on Friday witnessed protests by the opposition Congress, BJP and their various wings demanding Health Minister Veena George's resignation over the death of a woman in a building collapse at Kottayam Medical College.

Bindu (52) died and three others -- Aleena (11), Amal Pradeep (20), and Jinu Saji (38) -- were injured in the incident on July 3.

Protests were held in the state capital and other towns, including Kollam and Pathanamthitta, by the BJP and its youth wing, Yuva Morcha.

At Thiruvananthapuram, a large number of BJP workers, including women, marched to the official residence of George, shouting slogans against her and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and chanting 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'.

When the workers were blocked by the barricades set up by the police, the BJP activists tried to overturn the barricades and climbed on top of them waving party flags.

They also snatched away some shields and lathis of the police personnel, prompting use of several rounds of water cannons against the protestors.

The state capital also saw protests by the Congress's women's wing outside the minister's office and the youth wing of the Indian Union Muslim League, all seeking George's resignation.

At Kollam, Yuva Morcha members protested at the District Hospital and shouted slogans after entering the superintendent's office, according to visuals on TV channels.

The visuals also showed BJP workers protesting outside George's office at Pathanamthitta.

At Pathanamthitta, Youth Congress activists carrying a coffin -- on which was written Kerala's Health Department -- marched to the family home of George there and shouted slogans demanding her resignation.

At Kottayam, a large number of Youth Congress activists marched to the medical college and threw sticks at the police present there, according to visuals on TV channels.

As the protestors climbed on top of the barricades, police used water cannons on them.

At all places, police set up barricades to stop the protestors.

Congress MLA from Palakkad Rahul Mamkootathil termed Bindu's death as ''institutional murder'' and alleged that George was the main person responsible for it.

He also said that the probe being carried out by the DIstrict Collector was unacceptable as the Collector oversees the development of the medical college.

The toilet complex adjacent to wards 10, 11, and 14 at Kottayam Government Medical College collapsed on Thursday while the hospital was in the process of fully shifting operations to the newly constructed surgical block.

Following the incident, the Congress-led UDF opposition had alleged delays in launching the rescue operation and claimed that search efforts only began seriously after relatives of the missing woman raised concerns.

Bindu from Thalayolaparambu in Kottayam district was pulled out from the debris more than two hours after the incident and was declared dead.

She was there at the medical college as her daughter was awaiting surgery.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)