Kerala Health Minister Veena George attacked, suffers serious neck injuries; 5 KSU activists held

• Five KSU activists arrested for assaulting Kerala Health Minister
• Attack at Kannur Railway Station as minister boarded train
• FIR alleges premeditated attack with weapon, minister now stable

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Five activists of the Congress-affiliated Kerala Students Union (KSU) have been arrested for the alleged assault on Kerala Health Minister Veena George. The incident occurred within the premises of the Kannur Railway Station on Wednesday as the minister was preparing to board the Vande Bharat Express.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan visited Health Minister Veena George, who is undergoing treatment after being injured in the KSU attack. The Health Minister was attacked and injured by a KSU group at Kannur Railway Station. Kerala society will stand united in opposing the KSU… pic.twitter.com/dHQMwejdKg

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— CPI(M) Kerala (@CPIMKerala) February 25, 2026

The Kerala Police confirmed the arrests on Thursday, stating that the accused would be handed over to the Kannur Railway Police, who have registered a case that includes charges of attempt to murder. The KSU activists were reportedly protesting perceived negligence in government hospitals at the time of the confrontation.

According to the First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Railway Police, the incident was not a spontaneous scuffle but a premeditated act. The document, filed under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Railway Act, details that the five activists entered the station with the "intention to commit a crime" while in possession of a weapon. They were allegedly raising slogans against the Minister before launching the physical attack.

The FIR states that the activists attacked George, specifically targeting her neck with the weapon. When a member of the Minister's security detail moved to intervene, he was also allegedly attacked and restrained. The legal complaint further asserts that the group attempted to prevent the Minister from carrying out her duties. Following the assault, Veena George was admitted to a hospital, where doctors have since reported her condition to be stable.

The incident has triggered a fierce political row in the state. The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) has condemned the attack as a "planned" and "undemocratic" act of violence. Kerala Minister J Chinchu Rani strongly denounced the opposition's tactics, stating to ANI, "The Congress and its youth organisations are going after ministers and deliberately creating provocations... The approach of the Congress youth organisations is uncivilised and aggressive. The people of Kerala will respond against it."

According to reports, senior CPI(M) leader MV Jayarajan alleged that a "suicide attacker" was involved in an attempt on the Minister’s life. Citing video evidence to support his claim, Jayarajan described the act as "highly condemnable" and criticised the opposition leadership for failing to take stern action against the perpetrators.

CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan framed the attack within a larger narrative of a "corporate takeover" of private hospitals, suggesting a motive to defame government medical institutions—a sector overseen by the attacked Minister.

Meanwhile, the KSU and the Congress party have firmly denied the specific allegations levelled against them. While rejecting the charges of a premeditated murder attempt, the opposition has made provocative gestures.