THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The second and final day of the 48-hour nationwide general strike called by trade unions was complete in the state capital on Wednesday. At around 5 am, around 50 protesters from CITU and CPM picketed Venad express, which was delayed by 39 minutes.
Another group lead by CPM leader Thiruvallam Sivarajan along with 80 protesters staged a sit-in protest in front of Sabari Express, causing a delay of 22 minutes. The railway authorities have booked two separate cases against the protesters for detaining the trains.
“Cases were taken for endangering safety of the railway, causing nuisance for passengers and creating unsafe situation by encroaching the track. This is the second day they are picketing trains and this could not be entertained. The CPM will pay the fine from their party fund and the cases will go to the court,” said an official of the railway.
On the first day, the railways took four individual cases for picketing trains. On Wednesday, offices and shops including Chalai and Palayam Markets remained shut.
Buses and autorickshaws kept off the road. Private vehicles plied in the city and some of the eateries operated despite the strike giving some relief to the public. Apart from the attack at the SBI treasury Branch at Statue, there was no violence reported in the state capital.
