UDF hartal disrupts life in Wayanad

UDF hartal in Wayanad over wild animal attacks disrupts daily life, affecting businesses, transportation, and educational institutions.

A dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the United Democratic Front (UDF) in Wayanad in protest against the alleged government failure in preventing wild animal attacks disrupted people’s lives on Thursday.

Activists of the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League forcibly shut shops and business units in major towns such as Kalpetta and Sulthan Bathery. Private buses did not operate services as the bus owners had announced that they cannot afford any confrontation with the protesters.

Though a few buses of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) were seen on the road, they were blocked by the protesters for some time. Educational institutions and offices did not function. Private vehicles and those for essential services were not affected much.

This is the second hartal in the district in as many days. The Farmers Relief Forum and the Kerala unit of the All-India Trinamool Congress had called for a hartal on Wednesday in protest against the death of Manu of Vellari Colony in Tamil Nadu, who was trampled to death by a wild elephant on February 10.

His body was found the next day. Similarly, Balakrishnan of Attamala was killed by another wild elephant on February 11 and the body was recovered the next day.

Functionaries of the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi submitted a memorandum to the District Police Chief seeking protection from hartal supporters. They claimed that there were around 20,000 business units in Wayanad and such flash strikes were illegal. Essential services and those attending religious events were exempted from the hartal.

A couple of UDF workers were detained by the police after they obstructed vehicle movement near Lakkidi on the Kozhikode-Wayanad border and at Chungam Junction. Most of the KSRTC buses operated only up to Kozhikode. Though efforts were made to operate buses from Mananthavady, Pulppally, and Sulthan Bathery, they were stopped after reports of vehicles being blocked emerged.