PFI hartal violence: 274 more arrested in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Police has arrested 274 more individuals in connection with various incidents of violence across the State on the day of hartal called by the Popular Front of India (PFI). Earlier, the police arrested 1,013 persons for engaging in violence during the general strike called on Friday following the raids of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) at PFI offices countrywide and the subsequent arrest of its prominent leaders.

The total number of arrests recorded by the police in connection with the PFI hartal in Kerala has now gone up to 1,287.

Meanwhile, the number of cases registered over the violence during the strike has gone up to 308, including fresh 27 cases filed on Sunday. In all 834 persons are under preventive detention. The most number of arrests were recorded in Kottayam district: 215.

Two were arrested on Sunday for pelting stones at a KSRTC bus bound to Thiruvananthapuram from Pathanamthitta. Three more were held for damaging the windshield of a KSRTC bus near the Perumbavoor timber market in Ernakulam district and two for attacking vehicles on a road in Chalakkudy.

In Kozhikode, five more have been arrested for unleashing violence on hartal. The arrests were over pelting stones at a KSRTC bus near Modern Bazar Steel complex and damaging another KSRTC bus at Nadakkavu and near Civil Station.

Three were arrested for stopping the bus that was transporting workers to Mariyan Apparels at Valiyavelicham locality of Koothuparambu in Kannur district.

Tamil Nadu to slap charges under National Security Act

Chennai/Mumbai: Following widespread violence unleashed by the PFI activists, the Tamil Nadu Government has decided to slap stringent charges under the National Security Act (NSA) against the attackers. The act empowers the police to prevent violence through preventive detention of individuals, among others.

Widespread violence were reported from different parts of Tamil Nadu too on the hartal day.

In Coimbatore, a petrol bomb was hurled at the car of a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh  activist. Two have been arrested for hurling a petrol bomb at the house of another RSS worker, during the wee hours of Sunday, in Salem. As many as 19 have been arrested so far in connection with such incidents of violence from across Tamil Nadu.

Assistant Deputy Commissioner S Murugavel, who was in charge of the Intelligence of Coimbatore city, has been transferred.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said action against the PFI is based on clear evidence and more details on the group that has been plotting unrest in the country would come to light soon.