Protest against K-Rail continues in Kannur

Residents remove stone laid at Nadal in Edakkad panchayat

The protest against installation of survey stones for the semi-high-speed SilverLine project continued in Kannur on Friday. 

Residents staged a protest and removed a stone laid by officials near a plot acquired for the proposed national highway at Nadal in Edakkad panchayat. The police were present.

Youth Congress workers, led by District Congress Committee president George Martin and vice president Rijil Makkutty, reached the spot and joined in the protest.

The protesters alleged that the stone was installed without any advance notice. They warned that they would intensify their protest against the project and would not allow laying of stones.

Mr. Martin said they would remove the survey stones being installed against the will of the people. He said the stone was supposed to be laid at Muzhappilangad but the officials chose Edakkad. The government was trying to do things secretly and this reflected its incompetency, he added.

On Thursday, K-Rail officials faced strong resistance from residents, activists and Congress workers at Chala. Several stones were removed in the presence of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K.Sudhakaran. This led to a wrangle between the police and Youth Congress activists.