A shutdown against the brutal rape and murder of the minor girl in Kathua has derailed life in various parts of Kerala. The cops also took several protesters in custody.
The shutdown was called by a section of people on social media.
The worst affected districts included Kozhikode, Kannur, Malappuram, Palakkad and parts of Thiruvanathapuram. Angry demonstrators, some shouting anti-RSS slogans, blocked traffic and force shops to shut. Buses and other vehicles were stopped from plying on Monday morning. However, traffic resumed after the police chased away the protesters.
In Kozhikode, Kannur and Palakkad, police chase away the strikers and took some into custody. In Kannur district, the protesters and some shop keepers were engaged in a war of words.
The youths have been identified as members of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political wing of the Popular Front of India.
The areas affected by the shutdown are known strongholds of the SDPI, including the suburbs of the capital district.
Government offices and banks in the affected areas opened later in the day.
Meanwhile, the trial in the case began on Monday and the accused have pleaded not guilty. The lawyer of the accused has also said that they are ready for a narco test.
The lawyer of the victim, Deepika Singh Rajawat has said that she fears for her life and could get killed or raped. She also added that the she is facing a social boycott and is being called ‘anti-Hindu’ for taking up the case.
Moreover, the victims’s father has moved a plea in the Supreme Court asking for the transfer of the case to Chandigarh.
