Kerala police assures safety to public during hartal

KOZHIKODE: The police is on alert against any untoward incidents that may occur during the hartal on Monday. On Sunday, the special branch assistant commissioner of police issued a press release stating that they would work in coordination with the Regional Transport Office to help the public in need and would protect the KSRTC buses that ply on the road. Four special buses would ply to transport people going to the Government Medical College hospital and MVR cancer centre, after arriving at the railway station and bus stand, said Special branch ACP V.M. Abdul Wahab. 

“The full police force in the district would be present to face the dawn to dusk hartal situation. Those on leave were called back and special protection would be given to passengers on the road,” he said. Rarely are such notices issued by the police during a hartal. It follows the order of a division Bench of the High Court on Thursday directing the state government to assure the people that they would have protection during the hartal. The Bench also ordered that a communication regarding the steps to be taken by the government to ensure non-disruption of public life and maintenance of law and order during the hartal be made public.