Kerala shutdown cripples normal life

The shutdown enforced by Kerala opposition parties yesterday was complete throwing normal life out of gear and triggering sporadic violence.The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called the strike against the police manhandling of a woman seeking justice after her son was found dead at his college campus.The police had violently stopped Mahija, mother of Jishnu Prannoy who was found hanging in his hostel room three months ago, at their headquarters on Wednesday after she had gone to meet their chief.Both the UDF and BJP took out demonstrations in cities and towns. Police fired water cannon to disperse BJP protesters who turned violent in Kochi.Many people, including patients, expatriates and tourists who arrived at airports and railway stations had to bear the brunt of the shutdown as public transport was halted and shops and eateries shut.Protesters hurled stones at vehicles at many places and attacked civil service offices. In the state capital here, they marched on the secretariat. In New Delhi, the Congress party lawmakers from the state staged a protest in front of Parliament.In a statement, UDF convener P P Thankachan claimed the shutdown was total and peaceful. He thanked his workers and the public for the “peaceful protest.”Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala visited Mahija, who is in hospital after sustaining injuries in the police action.Mahija said though she had submitted “evidence” against authorities of the Nehru College of Engineering, Pampady, Thrissur, the director general of police, Lokanath Behera, had not acted against the people “responsible” for her son’s death.She also criticised inspector general Manoj Abraham, who conducted an enquiry into the assault on her by the police and submitted a report justifying their action. She has begun a hunger strike in the hospital.