Normal life disrupts after PFI calls for Hartal in Kerala

In Kerala, normal life was completely thrown out of gear following a dawn to dusk hartal yesterday called by the Popular Front of India in the state, in protest against the nationwide raid and arrests of its leaders by the NIA and ED on Thursday, September 22.

Supporters of the hartal pelted stones at the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation buses at several places. More than 30 buses were damaged. Reports said some occupants of the bus sustained injuries due to stone pelting. Several private vehicles were also damaged.

A petrol bomb was hurled at a newspaper-carrying



vehicle at Kannur early yesterday morning. At Erattupetta in the Kottayam district, police resorted to lathicharge to disperse PFI supporters.  

Interstate bus services between Kerala and Tamil Nadu were suspended following the hartal.

Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court has initiated a suo moto case against PFI leaders who called for the hartal. In an interim order, a Division Bench headed by Justice A K Jayashankaran Nambiar directed the government to provide adequate police protection to all public utility services.