Thiruvananthapuram: Incidents of stone pelting on state-run KSRTC buses and road blockades were reported across Kerala in the dawn-to-dusk hartal against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act and police action on students of Jamia university in Delhi.
Over 350 people were arrested as a precautionary measure.
A group of 30 Islamic and political outfits called the hartal from which major political parties, including the ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress and IUML kept away.
According to Manorama News, 18 buses were vandalised during the hartal resulting in a loss of around 2 lakh for the government. It is estimated that the loss-making corporation will incur an additional revenue loss of Rs 25 lakh in the next couple of days due to the stoppage of services for repair works.
KSRTC, private buses, four wheelers and autorickshaws were seen plying in the state capital, while in north Kerala, especially Kannur and Kozhikode, roads wore a deserted look.
Stone throwing incidents on KSRTC buses were reported from Peroorkada in the capital city, Palakkad, Wayanad, Kozhikode and Aluva in Kochi.
Demonstrations were also taken out by the hartal supporters in many places. A state owned bus coming from Velankanni in Tamil Nadu was stoned at Walayar at around 3am.
Stones were hurled at a bus at Peroorkada in Thiruvananthapuram and buses were stopped at Palode.
In Kannur, the activists took out a procession on the National Highway and were arrested and removed by police. A three-year-old child travelling with her family was injured when activists hurled stones at their car in the district.
Two women activists, who squatted on the road in Kannur shouted "Inquilab Zindabad" and "Down with CAA", as police removed them. Referring to police action on Jamia students, they said "those are our children. You should also support us".
Police chased away pro hartal activists in Palakkad as they forcibly tried to close down shops and prevented vehicles from plying.
In Aluva in Kochi, several vehicles were blocked and stones hurled at buses. A KSRTC bus on its way to Munnar from Thiruvananthapuram was stoned at Perumbavoor in Ernakulam.
Though the police had issued a notice, terming the hartal illegal, the protesters refused to back down.
State DGP Loknath Behara had made it clear that the hartal was illegal as no prior permission had been taken for its conduct which was necessary as per a High Court direction.
The high court has specifically given a direction that the notice for hartal should be given at least seven days before in order to avoid difficulties to the public.
Action will be taken against the organisers if they forcibly shutdown shops and cause inconvenience to the public, he said.
The district and state leaders of the outfits would be held responsible in case of any damage. Legal action would be initiated against them, the police said.
The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) conducted services throughout the day. Authorities said they would seek the help of police, if needed. Employees would not be given leave unless for medical reasons.
Major political parties, social outfits stay away
Meanwhile, the Joint Action Council exhorted the people to cooperate with the hartal by boycotting travel and downing shutters of shops.
Leader of one of the protesting outfits, Porattam, M N Ravunni said in Palakkad that the provision of giving a prior notice of seven days cannot be followed.
Several prominent social outfits and political parties have said that they would not back the hartal.
General secretary of the All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar, and IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty too said that Tuesday's hartal was needless.
