Violence mars Kollam hartal

KOLLAM: BJP workers unleashed widespread violence during their 12-hour hartal in Kollam district on Sunday, damaging many public and private properties.
Normal life came to a standstill, and several auto-rickshaws, shops, KSRTC buses, and private vehicles damaged in stone-pelting in various places. A KSRTC was destroyed by breaking its windshield at Kottathala here. In Kottarakkara, several shops were destroyed by the shutdown supporters.

Flag posts and memorials of the CPM in Anchal and Kadakkal came under attack. Flag post of SFI area committee in Karunagappally was also destroyed in the protest against the death of a BJP worker on Saturday. A. Raveendranath (58), a retired ASI of police, was under treatment at the Thiruvananthapuram MCH for the last 16 days after getting injured in a CPM-BJP clash. His body was laid to rest on the premise of his house in Kanjirathumoodu in Kadakkal by 3 pm on Sunday.

The incident took place at Kanjirathumoodu near Chithara in Kadakkal on February 2, associated with a festival in a local temple. Mr Raveendranath received fatal injuries on his head and was unconscious ever since. He was made to undergo an emergency surgery at the MCH. Several others were also injured in the tussle, and the police arrested people from both sides involved. Mr Raveendranath leaves his wife Jaya, son Renjith, a degree student, and daughter Reshma.