A State-wide hartal called by the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday in protest against the murder of party activist K.V. Ramith in Kannur was total in the State.
Normal life was crippled. Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from different parts of the State.
Kerala State Road Transport Corporation and private buses, taxis and autorickshaws remained off the road. Functioning of government offices too was affected.
BJP workers who took out a demonstration to the Secretariat in the morning targeted news photographers who captured pictures of the workers destroying flex boards.
An ambulance was attacked at Pazhavangadi.
Private vehicles were attacked in Kollam district.
Tourism sector was the worst affected in Alappuzha as transporting facilities were unavailable. Houseboats were anchored at various locations. Hartal supporters blocked an ambulance at Cherthala.
Two cameramen of local television news channels, Unmesh and Manoj, were attacked at Cherthala. Stray incidents of violence occurred in Idukki where the hartal was total. Hartal supporters blocked the vehicles at various junctions.
They forcefully entered the District Labour Office at Thodupuzha.
The hartal was total in Pathanamthitta too. An attempt to forcefully close down certain offices at the Revenue Tower at Adoor by BJP workers led to minor clashes with the police.
The situation was peaceful in Wayanad and Kasaragod. Isolated incidents of BJP workers attempting to block private vehicles in party strongholds and stone throwing were reported from parts of Kasaragod.
BJP State president Kummanam Rajasekharan said in a statement here that the public responded to the hartal and it was a warning to the government.
Centre seeks reportThe Centre has sought a report from the State government regarding the killing of a 25-year-old BJP activist in Kannur district. In a communication, the Home Ministry has asked the State government to provide details of the incident and steps taken to bring the culprits to book.
