Kollam ∙ Violent violence during the hartal protesting the arrest of leaders by looting 93 Popular Front centers in 15 states including Kerala. Private vehicles did not travel in many places. Debt markets were closed. KSRTC buses were operating on a convoy basis but there was stone pelting at several places. Stones were also hauled on freight lorries. Activists of the Popular Front held demonstrations in several places.
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KSRTC bus crushed by stones at Kollam Ayam.
Violence against buses; Leader injured
The conductor and another passenger were injured in the stone pelting on a KSRTC bus at Punalur Karavalur. While going from Pathanamthitta depot to Thiruvananthapuram via Punalur, two persons on a scooter threw glass from the bus near Karavallur KIP bridge. The eye of conductor Rakesh (45) of Vitura depot was injured by the glass. He was taken to Punalur Taluk Hospital. Another passenger also suffered minor injuries, police said.
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KSRTC superfast bus damaged by stone pelting by hartal supporters in Kollam Thattamala.
2 KSRTC buses were stone pelted in Kollam city in the morning. A bus going from Kottarakkara to Mukambika was pelted with stones at the state border. A group of two peeled stones on a KSRTC bus coming from Kotiat to Ayur at Karingannur, Ayur. The windows are broken. The group passed by on bicycles.
KSRTC buses were pelted with stones in Thattamala and Ayathil. At 7 am on the national highway, near Thattamala school, a stone pulled a KSRTC superfast bus and the windows were broken. The bus going from Thiruvananthapuram to Malappuram was pelted with stones. On the Kollam-Ayur state highway, the windows of the Venad KSRTC bus coming from Kulathupuzha to Kollam were thrown at Ayathil junction number 2.
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KSRTC buses leaving Kottarakkara depot for Kollam under police guard.
Violence against a cargo truck
In Thattamala, 2 people on a bike were pulling stones on a Railway Postal Service truck. Iravipuram police station registered a case. A group of two members on a bicycle broke the front windows of the lorries which were parked and running in different parts of the garbage on the national highway. Trucks from other states were mainly attacked. On the Kollam-Tirumangalam highway, two persons on bicycles were pulling stones at a truck carrying cement from Tamil Nadu to Karunagapally between Punalur TB Junction and Valakode. They crossed over to Thenmala’s side. Hartal supporters pelted stones at a truck in Karunagappally Putthanteru, breaking the front glass of the truck.
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Demonstration by Popular Front workers in Kollam on the occasion of Hartal.
A case was filed
Kollam ∙ City police to take strict action against those who committed artal violence. The city police registered 14 cases against various acts of violence and detained 12 people in the illegal hartal across the state protesting the arrest of the national and state leaders of the Popular Front. A case was registered against them for obstructing public transport, destroying public property and committing illegal gang violence.
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Nikhil police officer injured in hospital 2. Leader Rakesh injured in stone pelting on an express bus bound for Thiruvananthapuram at Punalur Karavalur.
5 cases were registered within Iravipuram police station limits and 7 people were taken into custody. 2 cases each were registered in Karunagappally and Chavara station limits and one case each in Kollam East, Ochira, Anchalummudu, Kottiam and Kannanallur station limits. In rural areas, 58 people were arrested and 57 people were detained. Three persons were taken into custody in Kollam East and one each in Anchalummudu and Kilikollur stations. 164 people were arrested in illegal acts of violence as part of the hartal.
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Hartal walk: On Hartal day, when the elephant was taken for a morning walk along the busy Mylakad National Highway. Image: Manorama.
A case has been registered at Iravipuram station against those who attacked and tried to kill policemen in Kollam Pallimuk. Regional Police Chief Merin Joseph had directed to file a case against those involved in violence, those who break the law and those who forcefully close shops. The district police chief said that strict legal action will be taken against those who continue to engage in such illegal activities.
