Thiruvananthapuram: A dawn-to-dusk hartal called by Hindu Aikya Vedi to protest the arrest of its leader KP Sasikala has brought life to a standstill in Kerala. Even pilgrims' journey to Sabarimala was affected as public transport kept off the roads.
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In the state capital, passengers had a tough time in getting vehicles to reach their respective destinations due to the hartal. Many patients and their relatives were unable to reach the regional cancer centre and Thiruvananthapuram medical college hospital. In Balrampuram near Thiruvananthapuram, protesters attacked a KSRTC bus and damaging its windows.
Buses and auto-rickshaws remained off roads in most of parts of the state. Protesters also blocked private vehicles in several parts of the state.
The early morning call for hartal caught many people unawares. Daily commuters were in for a harrowing time. Most of the shops and business establishments remained shut.
Stray incidents of violence were also reported.
CPM Kozhikode district secretary P Mohanan's son Julius Nikithas and wife, a journalist, was attacked near Ambalakulangara in Kozhikode. They suffered injuries in the attack and admitted to Kuttyadi hospital.
When the duo were being taken to Kozhikode medical college hospital from Kuttayadi, they came under attack again. Though a police vehicle was giving escort to them, the attack could not be stopped. Vehicles were also
Pilgrims affected
The hartal affected pilgrims too. The number of pilgrims who reached Erumely on Saturday, the first day of Malayalam month of 'Vrischikom,' is far less compared to earlier years.
Amid unprecedented security, Kerala State Transport Corporation buses were bringing pilgrims from Nilakkal to Pamba and no services had been stopped. Shops and hotels near the temple complex were open.
KSRTC Managing Director Tomin J Thachankary said the corporation was running buses in Sabarimala with police protection to help pilgrims reach the temple.
Devotees are facing difficulties at Pamba as floods destroyed the facilities there. Muthu Karthick, a pilgrim from Chennai, said there are no facilities at Pamba. “ No water, toilets are filthy... causing difficulties to devotees," he lamented. However, at the Sannidhanam the facilities are better, he added.
The arrest
Hindu Aikya Vedi state President K P Sasikala was arrested by police near Marakkoottam near Sabarimala at 2.30 am Saturday. Some other activists were also taken into preventive custody. Kerala BJP president PS Sreedharan Pillai told the media in Kozhikode on Saturday that no one knew the reason why Sasikala was detained.
Read more about Sabarimala Pilgrimage
Unprecedented security arrangements have been made at the shrine, which opened for the third time Friday for the two-month pilgrimage season commencing Saturday after the Supreme Court allowed women of child-bearing age to offer prayers.
The temple opened Friday amid a tense standoff involving social activist Trupti Desai in Kochi and a move by its administrator to seek time from the Supreme Court to implement its verdict.
Exams/events postponed
The following exams and events scheduled for Saturday have been postponed or cancelled due to the hartal.
• The director of Higher Secondary Education informed that equivalence exams have been postponed to November 26.
• Kannur University has postponed Saturday's exams.
• The Wayanad district school youth festival has been postponed to Sunday.
• The Kottayam district school youth festival has been postponed to Monday. Venue and time schedule remain unchanged.
• All contact classes of the Kerala University Department of Distant Education scheduled for Saturday have been cancelled.
• The Thiruvananthapuram revenue district mathematics and work experience festivals have been postponed to Monday.
• A 3-day science workshop at Guruvayoor Sree Krishna College, Nattika SN College and Thiruvananthapuram MG College under the aegis of State Institute of Educational Technology has been postponed to November 18, 19 and 20.
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