Kerala: Shops closed following Cong 'hartal' call

Kochi, Aug 4: Business establishments were closed and public transport was off the roads as a dawn-to-dusk 'hartal', called by the Congress against a police lathi-charge on its workers here last evening, was observed in this commercial city and other parts of Ernakulam district today.

The district-wide 'hartal' was called by KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala, who charged the police with acting in a brutal manner under directions from the LDF Government.

Police security was stepped up near the railway stations and bus stops to prevent any untoward incidents.

However, private vehicles plied normally and essential services such as milk, newspapers and medical services were exempted from the 'hartal'.

In the morning, Congress activists took out a rally from the DCC office here to the Police Commissioner's office to protest against yesterday's lathi-charge.

Later, the Congress workers sat on a 'dharna' outside the police commissioner's office. The 'dharna' was inaugurated by former DCC president Dhanapalan.

While there were no reports of any untoward incidents from Kochi or any other part of the district, there was tension in some areas as Congress workers forced the closure of a few shops which had opened here in the morning.

Several Congress activists, including KPCC general secretary Ajay Tharayil and Leader of the Opposition in the Kochi Corporation A B Sabu, were reported injured as the police resorted to a lathi-charge to break up a road blockade outside the DCC office here last evening.

The Congress workers had blocked the main Hospital Road outside the DCC office to protest against an attack on the office earlier in the day by SFI workers.

UNI