Anti-CAA stir: Over 200 people taken into preventive custody during hartal in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The hartal called by the Welfare Party of India, Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Democratic Human Rights Movement (DHRM) and Minority Rights Movement against the Citizenship Amendment Act hit the normal life in the northern districts of Kerala on Tuesday.
Even though the hartal was more or less peaceful in the southern districts, there were violent incidents in Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod.As many as 233 preventive arrests were made across the state in connection with the hartal till 11am.
The hartal did not affect the public life in Kochi, which is known as the commercial capital of the state. Most of the private vehicles were plying on the roads as usual. No untoward incidents, except a few isolated attempts of a road blockade in rural areas, were reported so far.
In Thiruvananthapuram, the life was as usual and the schools and colleges are functioning normally. No violent protests were reported from the state capital. A march taken out by the hartal supporters to the accountant general office was blocked by the police using barricades. The police had to use water cannons to disperse the activists. Similarly, in Kollam, the hartal supporters blocked the road at Chinnakada and also staged a dharna before the railway station.
In Malappuram, the traders extended support to hartal and did not open the shops and establishments. The vehicles have kept away from the roads. The hartal affected the normal life in Kannur and Kozhikode too. The KSRTC buses have been kept away from the roads fearing attack from the protesters.
In Kozhikode, the protestors, including women, blocked the roads and the police removed them later. The public transport has been hit in the district since in many places road blockade has been reported.
The police have made elaborate arrangements to provide security to the people and shops and establishments. However, in some districts, the midterm examinations have taken a hit due to ongoing protest.