KSRTC buses stoned, roads blocked during hartal against CAA in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram: Incidents of stone throwing on state-run KSRTC buses have been reported from various parts of Kerala as the dawn-to-dusk hartal called against the Citizenship Amendment Act and police action on students of Jamia university in Delhi, began on Tuesday.
A group of 30 Islamic and political outfits have called the hartal from which major political parties, including the ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress and IUML are keeping away.
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 in the early hours of the stir.
Stone throwing incidents on KSRTC buses have been 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.
In Palakkad, around 120 people have been either arrested or taken into preventive custody till 9 am, SP Siva Vikram told PTI.
"Around 50-70 people have been taken into preventive custody so far and the remaining were arrested," he said.
A state owned bus coming from Velankanni in Tamil Nadu was stoned at Walayar at around 3 am, he said.
In Kannur, the activists took out a procession on the National Highway and were arrested and removed by police.
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.
School and University examinations scheduled for Tuesday have not been postponed. Shops and business establishments were open in various places.
State DGP Loknath Behara has 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.
They have not done that. Action will be taken against the organisers if they forcibly shutdown shops and cause incovenience to the public, he said.
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Allen, Raghuvanshi, Green power KKR to 29-run win over GT
Kolkata (PTI): Finn Allen blasted a 35-ball 93, while Angkrish Raghuvanshi hit an unbeaten 44-ball 82 as Kolkata Knight Riders kept their playoff hopes alive with a 29-run win over Gujarat Titans in the IPL match here on Saturday.
Sent in to bat, Allen went on a six-hitting spree, smashing 10 maximums and four boundaries to add 95 off 41 balls with Raghuvanshi (82).
Raghuvanshi then shared another 108 off 53 balls with Cameron Green (52 not out) to power KKR to a challenging 247 for 2.
In reply, GT could manage 218-4, riding on skipper Shubman Gill's 49-ball 85 and a 35-ball 57 from Jos Buttler. Opener Sai Sudarsan was retired hurt but returned to make a 28-ball 53 not out.
Sunil Narine (2/29) claimed two wickets and Saurabh Dubey snapped one for KKR.
For GT, Mohammed Siraj (1/50), Sai Kishore (1/38) were the wicket-takers.
Brief Score:
KKR: 247 for 2 in 20 overs (Finn Allen 93, Angkrish Raghuvanshi 82 not out, Camero Green 52 not out; Mohammed Siraj 1/50).
GT: 218 for 4 in 20 overs (Shubman Gill 85, Sunil Narine 2/29).
