Strike brings life to a standstill in Kozhikode district
Kerala State Road Transport Corporation's attempt to operate local services in Kozhikode failed to take off amidst the intensified protest. A group of trade union workers continuously staged sit-in front of the KSRTC bus stand and the depot in Kozhikode city to obstruct the service. However, some of the long distance services were permitted as usual for the stranded passengers.
'The trade union workers who gathered near the KSRTC stand were not even ready to cooperate with the pick-and-drop service offered by a few private vehicle operators to stranded patients. There was mild tension in the area as the protesters accused the service operators of collecting money and permitting all types of passengers in the name of hospital service,' said a home guard who was on duty near the spot. He also said there were attempts to damage the vehicle.
Attempts to block vehicles and forcibly shut shops created a tense situation in the rural areas of Kozhikode. At Mukkom, the protesters locked horns with several bank employees, government officials and operators of commercial establishments alleging poor cooperation to the national strike. Some of them barged into the office of the Assistant Education Officer at Mukkom and threatened an employee who refused to leave the premises.
'Even the fish merchants were threatened to stop the sale in Mukkom and surrounding areas. If they had not closed the outlets, the protesters would have poured kerosene on the stock,' said a local merchant association leader from Mukkom. He said some of the protesters were found using rude and offensive language to create a scary situation.
As public transportation was paralysed, several passengers were stranded at Kozhikode railway station, where the taxi operators also kept off the road expressing solidarity with the strike. Many of them left home by personally arranged private vehicles. Though a few auto-rickshaw drivers turned up early in the morning, they too disappeared after a few hours' service following the opposition from trade union leaders.
Meanwhile, the free ride offered by a group of volunteers under 'Helping hands of Kozhikode' came to the help of many stranded senior citizens. Several young volunteers were found joining the team with their scooters and motorcycles to support the initiative.
There were heightened security arrangements on the part of Kozhikode city police who deployed additional patrol squads to cover sensitive areas where the trade union workers remained active throughout the day. They said no major incidents of violence were reported till late in the evening.
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