Kerala RSS leader murder: Stray violence mars hartal

Kochi: Stray incidents of violence were reported from the district during the day-long hartal called by the RSS across the state.

There were incidents of stone-pelting at many areas like Kakkanad, South railway station and MG Road.

In the morning, a three-member group who arrived in an autorickshaw, pelted stones at the RSS district office in Veekshanam Road near MG Road, breaking the window panes of the building and creating terror.

Soon the locals and those in the office chased the attackers and managed to nab one Riyas, a native of Panayapilli.

The police took him into custody and also impounded the vehicle used for the attack. Later he was released. The others in the group managed to flee.

Though KSRTC conducted convoy services to Cherthala and Aluva in the morning, the operations were soon stopped completely after the windscreen of one of the buses got damaged when protestors pelted stones at Edakochi.

While the private vehicles were targeted at Kakkanad, the protestors also attacked an autorickshaw at the South railway station, where a large number of passengers were seen trapped on the day of the hartal.

The BJP activists took out marches and blocked traffic at Jos junction.

For the first time, the metro construction works were completely stopped on a hartal day.

Incidents of violence were also reported from many places on the outskirts like Aluva and Paravur.

Meanwhile, a group of dwellers under the banner ‘Say No to Hartal’ used their own vehicles to help transport commuters trapped at places like Kadavantra and South railway station.

Around 20 vehicles were seen plying with commuters since morning.

The police too deployed its minibus to ferry commuters from the railway station to various places in the city.