Thrissur: BJP hartal total but violent

Thrissur/Palakkad: The BJP hartal was complete in Thrissur and Palakkad districts with shops remaining closed and almost all vehicles off the roads.  A huge protest march was organized by the party at Swaraj Round in Thrissur and in Palakkad town. The rally led by Municipal vice-chairman in Palakkad C Krishnakumar began from the district committee office of the party in Palakkad and ended at Stadium bus stand.

Soon after the march began, CPM flags erected on Arikkara Street were pulled down by the protesters in Palakkad. In Thrissur, along with trashing flex boards of the CPM, the protesters manhandled two cameramen who tried to photograph the violent act. A cameraman was attacked using a bamboo stump near the General Hospital and suffered scratches on his stomach. BJP leaders later visited media houses and apologized to the cameramen who were attacked. They claimed that such untoward incidents were condemnable and that miscreants were behind the attack.

A protest march organised by BJP workers in Palakkad town on Thursday. (Photo: DC)

In both Thrissur and Palakkad, KSRTC did not conduct any services fearing buses would be attacked. A KSRTC low-floor AC bus which started its journey from Nedumbassery Airport at 5 am temporarily suspended its journey at Thrissur KSRTC bus stand after reports of buses being attacked in other places came in. NRIs who were on their way to Kozhikode got stranded in the bus and could resume their journey only after 6 p.m.

BJP conducted their protest marches at Chalakkudy, Wadakkanchery and other places as well. However, devotees coming to Sree Krishna Temple in Guruvayur were not affected as hartal supporters did not block their vehicles.   Though the shops in the temple town remained closed, wedding ceremonies and ‘Chooroonu’ rituals were held as usual at the temple.  Nearly 5,000 persons took part in the daily feast at the temple. As most of the devotees came to the temple by train, the Guruvayur Railway Station witnessed a huge rush.