THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the Dalit organisation on Monday hit normal life in the district. Though the hartal was partial in the city limits, it was complete in Attingal, Chirayankeezhu and Varkala. No violence was reported from the district. Protestors stopped KSRTC buses and private vehiclesand forced offices and hotels to down shutters. Kattakada police registered a case against 100 hartal supporters for hindering KSRTC services.
Sreekariyam police also registered a case against 20 men. Activists stopped private vehicles at Kornai and Aryanad, while a KSRTC superfast was emptied at Manacaud. While some private offices were closed down at Thycaud, activists shut down shops at Chalai by around noon. KSRTC had conducted services early in the morning, which were stopped by 8 am. Following this, Dalit activists staged protests at Thampanoor. They even cooked gruel in front of the main gate of the secretariat.
Hartal activists block the road in front of the Ponnara Park in Thampanoor.
Julie Thomas, a CA student who had to take anti-rabies injection from hospital following a dog bite, said that she was stopped by the protestors. "When our two-wheeler reached in front of Indira Bhavan, protesters blocked us. When I told them that I had to reach the MCH before the OP ends, they let us go," said Julie. She was stopped again on her return at Vellayambalam. While VSSC and Technopark operated vehicles on convoy basis, some restaurants, gymnasiums and grocery shops located in by lanes opened in the morning.
