Southern States
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Kerala
Stray incidents of violence in district
By Our Staff Reporter
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, DEC. 6. A tense situation was prevailing at Thekkada in the Vattapara police station limits after members of an Ayyappa bhajan madhom were assaulted by persons owing allegiance to the People's Democratic Party (PDP) which had called a State-wide hartal on Thursday to observe the anniversary of the demolition of Babri Masjid.
According to police, the incident occurred at around 6 a.m. when Mr. Manoharan, a local trader, opened his provision store to supply incense sticks to members of the `bhajan madhom'.
Police said around 40-odd PDP workers who were enforcing hartal in the area beat Manoharan and three others who were identified by the police as Mr. Bhaskaran, Mr. Appukuttan and Mr. Shailendran. Three of the injured persons are being treated at the Medical College Hospital. Manoharan has been admitted to the Kanyakulangara Primary Health Centre hospital.
In the evening, scores of BJP-RSS workers assembled at Thekkada junction and took out a torch-light procession to protest against the attack. An equal number of PDP workers also assembled in the area and tension escalated. However, the situation was defused with police deploying in strength in the trouble prone area.
Hartal violence
Incidents of stone throwing, forced closure of shops and stand-off between hartal supporters and BJP-RSS workers were reported from several parts of the district. Vehicles carrying newspaper bundles were targeted by hartal supporters who had blocked roads in several rural areas of the district with stones and tree-trunks.
In the city, private as well as Government vehicles were pelted with stones by hartal supporters at Vallakadavu and Karackamandapam. Instances of forced closure of shops were reported from several areas of the city.
In Attingal, a shop-owner, Mr. Sunderasan Pillai was roughed up by hartal supporters when he came to open his shop in the morning. The windscreens of a KSRTC bus from Parassala depot was smashed by miscreants at Vazhimukku near Balaramapuram.
In Neyyatinkara, BJP and CPI(M) workers came close to blows with PDP men when hartal supporters tried to coerce shop owners to down shutters. The police intervened and forced the groups of opposing men to retreat.
Partial response
The hartal call given by the PDP to observe the Babri Masjid demolition day evoked a partial response in the district. Most commercial establishments, shops, educational institutions and hotels remained closed fearing reprisals from hartal supporters. Private-buses, autorickshaws and taxis remained off the road for the better part of the day. However, two-wheelers and private vehicles plyed as usual.
Attendance was low in Government offices. The Chalai and Palayam markets wore a deserted look with most shops remaining closed and trading called off.
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