Thursdays dawn to dusk hartal called by the Sabarimala Action Committee to protest against Wednesday’s entry of the two women devotees in the sanctum of the Sabarimala temple turned out to be total in Kerala.
The hartal claimed the life of 55 year old Chandran Unnithan at Pandhalam who was killed in stone pelting by the CPI-M activists while he was leading a SAC rally late Wednesday evening.
Six BJP activists got injured in stabbing incidents at Thrissur, Kannur and Kasaragod . According to sources in Police, the attacks were the handiwork of the CPI-M and the SDPI, an Islamic extremist outfit.
P Sathasivam, Governor of Kerala, has sought a report on the Law and Order from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan following widespread rioting and stone pelting by pro and anti hatrtal activists all over the State. “I appeal to all sections of people to maintain calm and peace,” Sathasivam said in his posting while confirming the report that he has sought the report from the chief minister.
Nearly 300 persons, belonging to various Hindutwa outfits have been arrested in connection with widespread attacks on buses, public places and journalists during the hartal on Thursday. According to sources in Thiruvananathapuram, the number of arrests would be more as some of the attackers and rioters have gone underground.
Tomin Thachankery, the managing director of the KSRTC said in a release late Thursday evening that 100 buses belonging to the corporation were damaged in stone pelting by rioters. “We have suffered losses to the tune of Rs 3.35 crore in the attacks by the protesters over the last two days,” said Thachankary in a release on Thursday.
The Kerala Police have launched a mission “Operation Broken Window” to nab the persons responsible for stone pelting and rioting. Though the Police had promised protection to those who open shops and business establishments, the help was not forthcoming which forced the owners to pull down the shutters for the day.
Media persons too came under the attack of the organisers of the hartal. Two reporters and a videographer were injured in the attack while the camera of one of the channels was damaged. The media persons who were upset over the attacks blacked out the press meets.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan alleged that the Sangh Parivar ‘elements” were trying to foment trouble in Kerala under the pretext of saving Sabarimala. Addressing the media at Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday morning, Vijayan took strong exception to the decision of the Sabarimala Action Committee to call for hartal. He claimed that the two women entered the sanctum of the temple because of the cooperation extended by the devotees and the police had no role in it. “We were asked to provide them with police security and we were bound by the Constitution to do so,” said Vijayan.
The CM’s remarks about the death of Chandran Unnithan, the Ayyappa devotee at Pandalam , caused wide resentment in the State. Vijayan said Unnithan died because of heart attack while autopsy report from Kottayam Medical College stated that the victim died because of the severe injury suffered on his skull.