Protests continued to mount in the city on Friday against relocation of Beverages Corporation outlets from near highways.
At Nanthancode, residents gathered in the morning for the second straight day in protest against shifting of an outlet to Nalanda Road from Bakery Junction.
Like the day before, students and teachers of the nearby Holy Angels’ ISC School too joined the stir.
Around noon, the protesters received an assurance over the phone from the office of the Excise Minister that the outlet would be shifted from the locality.
Only then was the agitation called off.
School Principal Sr. Susy said the students decided to stage a protest yet again after they came to know of the attempt by Bevco staff to reopen the outlet on Thursday evening despite their protest in the morning. A similar protest was held at Kudappanakunnu in the morning. Local residents and students of Marygiri Senior Secondary School came together in protest against the opening of an outlet on the ground floor of a building that houses a bank.
It was on Thursday afternoon when liquor stocks were being unloaded at the junction that people got to know about the shifting of an outlet from Peroorkada Junction to Kudappanakunnu. The protesters allowed the staff to unload the liquor stock after several pleas, but did not permit any sales.
Students too join
On Friday morning, residents, students, and political party leaders continued their agitation, though the outlet was not opened.
Pathirapally ward councillor V. Krishnankutty Nair said they had got a verbal assurance from Bevco officials that the outlet would not be opened. An action council, including Kudapanakkunnu councillor S. Anitha and Chettivalakam councillor R. Dineshkumar, was also formed, he said, adding that the protest would continue on Saturday. Protests were also held against an outlet near Technopark’s phase 3 campus near Kulathoor.
