Thiruvananthapuram: The two-day-long nationwide general strike called by the Joint Council of Trade Unions continued on Tuesday. The strike will last till 12 midnight today.

Protesters locked 15 teachers inside a government school at Chithara in Kollam for attending work. A petrol pump was foced shut at Ulloor in Thiruvananthapuram.

Meanwhile, a CPM-governed cooperative bank functioned in Thrissur with its shutters closed.

In Thiruvananthapuram, protestors gathered in front of  Lulu Mall on Tuesday morning blocking the path for customers and employees. Employees were prevented from entering the mall.

Devikulam MLA A Raja was injured during a fight that ensued between the police and protestors in Munnar. The MLA has been admitted to the general hospital here.

In Kozhikode, shops were forcefuly shut at Karanthoor, Kunnamangalam and Andikaadu areas. The protestors also closed down a petrol pump in Karanthoor.

Vegetable and fruit vendors at the Palayam market have informed that they will not be trading today.

KSRTC services remain suspended

The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) did not operate in its regular bus routes on Tuesday. The few buses that operated were stopped at several places by protestors. A KSRTC bus service was disrupted by agitators at Vembayam and the passengers were asked to leave the vehicle. Protestors planted a flag in front on Thiruvananthapuram-Kottarakkara bus.

Kerala Vyapara Vyvasayi Ekopana Samithi president P Kunjavu Haji and general secretary Raju Apsara had said that more shops and commercial establishments would open shutters on Tuesday, on the second day of the strike.

While supporting the cause of the striking trade unions, they pointed out that the continuous closure of shops would put traders in jeopardy.

Dies-non not effective

Despite the dies-non order, only 176  employees out of the 4,824 attended work at the Secretariat on Tuesday. Only 32 employees had reached office on Day1 of the strike. The situation is similar in other government offices as well.

Following the High Court directive, the Kerala government on Monday issued a 'dies-non' order to prevent its employees from abstaining from duty as part of the nationwide strike.

As per Rule 14 (A) of Part I of Kerala Service Rules, the period of unauthorised absence of an officer on account of participation in a strike shall be treated as dies-non (no work, no pay).

The order also said no leave of any kind will be granted to government employees unless there is sickness of the individual or relatives like wife, children, father and mother.

The order also said the district collectors, heads of departments, district police chiefs, etc. will take action to "give protection to those not on strike and to ensure unhindered access to government offices and institutions" and to avoid overcrowding in front of the gates of the offices.

The Thiruvananthapuram District Collector has issued instructions to ensure the attendance and transport of government employees to work.

The strike -- on March 28 and 29 -- has been called by the joint platform of central trade unions against "the anti-worker, anti-farmer, anti-people and anti-national policies" of the central government.

Isolated incidents of violence

The strike was total in West Bengal too. At the national level, banking and transport sectors were hit partially due to the strike called by the trade unions for 48-hours from Monday.

Normal life was affected in Kerala on Monday with isolated incidents of violence. The supporters of the strike blocked private vehicles and prevented employees from going to work at many places.

In Kothamangalam, the Pindimana Panchayat secretary K Manoj was brutally attacked by a group of strike supporters. Two persons, including CPM local secretary, were arrested in connection with the incident.

In Koyilandy and in North Parur, the owners who tried to open their shops were attacked. In Tirur and in Kottarakkara, those who were going to hospitals were attacked.