The death of a student in Perambra on Saturday (July 19), after being run over by a private bus, triggered a clash between the police and youth organisations in Perambra town on Sunday (July 20). Workers from several groups joined hands to block the Kozhikode–Kuttiady road, preventing private buses from operating along the route.

The deceased, Abdul Jawad, 20, son of Abdul Jaleel from Maruthonkara, was a student at the Calicut University Regional Centre in Chalikkara. He was returning home from college around 4 p.m. on Saturday when a private bus reportedly hit the rear of his scooter near the Kakkad bus stop on the Perambra–Ulliyeri state highway. Jawad allegedly fell and was then run over by the same bus, which was reportedly overspeeding and attempting to overtake another private bus.

The Perambra police have taken the bus into custody, and the Motor Vehicles department (MVD) has suspended the driver’s license for six months. The driver, Adam Shafi, has also been directed to undergo the department’s mandatory five-day training programme.

Based on the media reports, the State Human Rights Commission has registered a suo motu case and called for immediate intervention by authorities to curb bus racing. The District Police Chief (Kozhikode Rural) and the Regional Transport Officer have been asked to investigate the incident and submit a report within 15 days.

Earlier in the day, members of various organisations—including the Youth Congress, Youth League, Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI), Students’ Federation of India (SFI), Kerala Students Union (KSU), and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP)—blocked the road, demanding strict action against the ongoing private bus races that endanger lives.

The protesters accused authorities of ignoring repeated violations and shielding the culprits. They also alleged that the police, despite registering a case, failed to mention the name of the bus or the driver in the FIR. Protesters demanded that the route be nationalised.

The road blockade disrupted regular traffic and caused significant distress to commuters. Tensions escalated when police attempted to arrest the protesters and transport them in a private bus. Other demonstrators intervened and forcibly freed the detainees. In a symbolic act of protest, the demonstrators laid a wreath on a police vehicle with a message reading “Condolences to law enforcement.”

A meeting convened by the Joint RTO to resolve the issue failed, and the blockade is likely to continue on Monday (July 21).