Overview
- Thamarassery police registered six cases, named 321 accused with 21 identified, and said the investigation is underway.
- The clash began when lorries carrying poultry waste tried to enter the Fresh Cut unit at Ambayathode and residents blocked them, triggering stone-pelting and police action.
- Officers used tear gas, batons and reportedly grenades to disperse the crowd, and protesters allegedly stopped Fire and Rescue vehicles from reaching the site.
- Several people were injured, including Kozhikode Rural SP K. E. Baiju and the Thamarassery Station House Officer, as the area remained under heavy police deployment.
- The plant has faced years of complaints over foul odour and alleged river pollution, with a 2024 licence non-renewal by the panchayat, a one-month shutdown in May 2025 and later district-level clearance.