Eight activists including one nun has been injured after a protest march taken out by the Kerala Latin Catholic Women’s Association to the official residence of Forest Minister K. Raju turned unruly.

The demonstration was organised in protest against the destruction of a wooden cross that had been found to be damag-ed a month ago at Kurisumala in Bonacaud. The forum, a feeder organisation of the Kerala Regional Latin Catholic Church, took out the march in protest against the alleged delay in apprehending those responsible for the incident. Nuns and children were among those who took part in the procession.

Police blocked them when they tried to break the police barricade to move towards the residence. Police said they blocked the march when agitators tried to break the barricade and move further towards the minister’s residence.

Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged that police used force on the women protesters, a charge denied by police. Chennithala wanted a probe and action against the police personnel responsible for it.

The police however ruled out any kind of lathi charge. “When they tried to forcibly enter the minister’s residence the police blocked them. We didn’t resort to lathi charge,” said a senior police official.