Cong hartal partial, stray incidents of violence in dist

Row over co-op bank election

Kozhikode: The dawn-to-dusk hartal called by Congress on Sunday witnessed stray incidents of violence with hartal supporters manhandling a KSRTC bus passenger at Mukkam and forcibly closing shops at various places in the district. The hartal was partial in the district as many shops functioned in the rural areas. Private vehicles and autorickshaws were seen on the roads while long-distance buses and KSRTC services operated as usual.

Congress called the hartal after there were violent clashes during the elections held to the administrative board of Chevayoor Service Cooperative Bank and allegations arose that CPM had tried to scuttle the polls on Saturday.

Forest range officer from Karassery, P Abdul Jaleel, was manhandled by hartal supporters alleging that he had filmed the blocking of a KSRTC bus. The hartal also saw Congress activists blocking private buses at mofussil bus stand and Palayam bus stand.

Meanwhile, the sudden hartal called on Saturday night caused a lot of inconvenience to people though essential services were kept out of its purview. Though many shops were open in city, tension prevailed as 100 Congress activists led by DCC president K Praveen Kumar took out a protest march at 10.30am and hartal supporters forcibly tried to close shops.

This led to scuffles and altercation between Congress activists and police. The protesters then proceeded to Mananchira-SBI junction and they forcibly closed down shops on Mavoor road. Though many shops in SM street were open, they downed their shutters fearing violence.

At Kunnamangalam, hartal supporters closed shops, petrol pumps and bars. Tension prevailed at Kallachi following an altercation between hartal supporters and police after police tried to take some Congress leaders into custody.

Meanwhile, Congress will approach the high court seeking annulment of the election result while seeking action against the returning officer. Kumar also demanded action against ACP Umesh A and said the party will hold a protest march to the commissioner's office raising the demand.

He said the officer flouted the directives issued by the court regarding security to be provided on election day and that the returning officer allowed many persons without proper ID cards to vote. The panel headed by Congress dissidents won the election with the support of CPM.