THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The dawn-to-dusk hartal called by BJP district committee in protest against the alleged police high handedness on some activists in a Secretariat march disrupted the normal life in the capital. However, the hartal was peaceful and near total except some minor skirmishes at Neyyattinkara in the outskirts of the city. The strike affected the functioning of government offices.
Schools and colleges remained closed while the Secretariat functioned with a thin attendance. Banks and commercial establishments remained closed too. The BJP had conducted a march towards the Secretariat on Tuesday in protest against the police action. A woman activist was injured after she was hit by a tear gas shell during the march.
The 23rd IFFK was conducted as usual, but the inflow of delegates was less compared to other days. The transportation of delegates was a problem as they had to walk towards the venues. The Kerala State Chalachitra Academy had also arranged food for delegates in association with State Prisons Department.
According to the police, no major acts of violence were reported as the KSRTC buses and private buses decided to keep off the road. However, train services were not disrupted.
Normal life hit
Schools and colleges remained closed while the Secretariat functioned with a thin attendance. The inflow of delegates was less compared to other days at the IFFK. According to the police, no major acts of violence were reported