Congress leaders hurt in police lathi-charge; 'Hartal' tomorrow

Kochi, Aug 3 (UNI) Several Congress activists, including KPCC general secretary Ajay Tharayil and Leader of the Opposition in Kochi Corporation A B Sabu, were reported injured as police resorted to a lathi-charge to break up a protest road-block by Congress workers outside the DCC office here this evening.

Protesting against the police action, KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala called for a dawn to dusk 'hartal' in Ernakulam district tomorrow.

Addressing agitated Congress workers here, Mr Chennithala accused the police force of acting like ''goons'' under directions from State Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.

The Congress would not take the LDF belligerence lying down and would fight back tooth and nail, he added.

He said several Congress activists, including KPCC general secretary Ajay Tharayil and Kochi Corporation opposition leader A B Sabu, were injured in the police action and were hospitalised.

The police action followed a Congress blockade of the main Hospital Road outside the DCC office here this evening to protest against an attack earlier in the day on the DCC office by SFI members.

The Congress-SFI skirmishes had started at the nearby Mahraja's College this morning following a march taken out by the pro-Congress Kerala Students Union (KSU) activists against the government apathy in providing relief to the flood victims in the state.

The SFI workers attacked the DCC office in the afternoon alleging that KSU activists and Congress workers were taking shelter there after attacking SFI activists.

The Congress workers resorted to a road blockade to protest against the attack on the DCC office and this resulted in the police lathi-charge in the evening.

A tense and agitated atmosphere prevailed on Hospital Road with a large number of Congress activists demonstrating against the police action.

UNI