Thiruvananthapuram: Stray incidents of stone throwing on some state transport corporation buses have been reported from some parts of Kerala as the dawn to dusk hartal called by Left Democratic Front in protest against violence in the assembly against the opposition MLAs began this morning. KSRTC buses have stopped operating services after stone throwing incidents were reported at Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam, police said.
A driver of KSRTC bus suffered injuries in the eye in the stone throwing incident following which services have been stopped. The busy central bus depot at Thampanoor in the state capital wore a deserted look this morning. Patients coming to the state capital for treatments were taken to hospitals by police. Private buses kept off the roads in Kochi, while in Kozhikode though autorickshaws operated services, they were charging higher fares, passengers alleged.
Utter chaos prevailed in the Assembly yesterday with the Speaker’s podium being vandalised and members of the opposition and ruling benches coming to blows besides engaging in a scuffle with the watch and ward staff leading to injuries to several persons, as Kerala Finance Minister K M Mani, facing allegations in bar bribery issue, managed to present his record 13th budget. The opposition members were against the “tainted” minister presenting the budget. Reports from Kozhikode said in Chevayoor, a Tamil Nadu registered lorry carrying cargo was stoned and a tourist bus with students was also pelted with stones.
