The dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the United Democratic Front (UDF) in protest against the alleged anti people policies of the Central and State governments on Monday was marked by several incidents of violence across the district.
Post offices, including the Head Post Office at Chinnakada, were targeted by hartal supporters, as these were seen open and operating.
At the Chinnakada HPO, attempts were made to even destroy mail articles and gadgets. Hartal supporters also barged into the Thevalakaara post office and showered abuses on those there on duty.
Several other post offices were also targeted. In protest against these attacks, postal employees under the banner of the National Federation of Postal Employees will hold demonstrations on Tuesday in front of the Kollam HPO and the Thevalakara post office.
Violence reported pertained to hartal supporters attacking vehicles and also harassing passengers. Near Chinnakada, an autorickshaw carrying a pregnant woman to a hospital was blocked by hartal supporters. Those inside were asked to walk it up and the driver chased away.
Another autorickshaw driver was attacked for transporting a patient to the district hospital. At Eravipuram, tension erupted when Congress supporters marched to the police station there demanding the release of some Congress workers who were taken into custody for stoning a car at the Bypass junction. Police blocked the march ahead of the station.
Tension erupted when DCC president Bindu Krishna personally led a group to block vehicles passing through the city. KSRTC buses operating services were particularly targeted. The DCC president also led a group to the KSRTC depot and squatted at the exit point preventing buses from operating services.
At the boat jetty in the city, tour operators arranged two-wheelers for tourists who arrived there by boat from Alappuzha.
Towards Varkala
Most of them wanted to reach Railway station to proceed to Varkala. They were transported pillion to the railway station.
The hartal was total in the district with shops, commercial establishments, and educational institutions remaining closed.
While the KSRTC operated services in dribs and drabs, private buses remained off the roads. Two wheelers were seen on the roads as usual. Fuel pumps also remained closed.
