Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala witnessed protests on Wednesday as youth and student organisations linked to the CPI(M) staged marches in different parts of the state against the UDF government's policies.

The DYFI organised marches to district headquarters across Kerala, alleging that the government's tax relief measures would benefit the liquor mafia and calling for changes to its budget policy.

Hundreds of activists joined the marches, raising slogans against Chief Minister V D Satheesan.

The SFI held a protest march to the state Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram against the reported increase in fees at educational institutions in the cooperative sector.

During the march, some protesters pulled down and damaged a cut-out of Satheesan.

Police used water cannons to disperse DYFI protesters at several locations.

In Thiruvananthapuram, police also used repeated water cannon bursts and minor force to break up the SFI demonstration outside the Secretariat