Sporadic violence marks PFI dawn-to-dusk hartal in Kerala

The PFI had called for a general strike to protest the arrest of its top leaders by the NIA

Random incidents of violence and disarray marked the first few hours of the Popular Front of India (PFI) sponsored dawn-to-dusk hartal in Kerala. The PFI had called for a general strike to protest the arrest of its top leaders on UAPA charges by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in sweeping raids on Thursday.

At Pallimukku in the Kollam district, two hartal supporters speeding on a motorbike rammed a police foot patrol, injuring two officers. They were under treatment at the district hospital for minor injuries.

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A KSRTC bus driver, tentatively identified as Sasi, sustained an eye injury when hartal supporters smashed the vehicle's windscreen near Kozhikode civil station.

At Uliyil in Narayanpara in Kannur, anonymous motorcycle-borne persons attacked a newspaper vehicle with a petrol bomb. None were injured in the firebombing.

Hartal supporters attacked an airport employee, A. Nived, while returning home from duty. He was under treatment for a minor injury at the Taluk hospital in Iratty.

At Valapattanam, hartal supporters damaged an inter-State KSRTC bus headed for Mookambika in Karnataka, injuring a 15-year-old passenger, Anakha.