State-wide hartal over Nithin Raj’s death triggers chaos: HC intervenes as students miss entrance exams and patients get stranded
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The hartal called by the Justice for Nithin Raj Action Council and various Dalit organisations, demanding action against those responsible for the death of Anjarakandy Dental College student Nithin Raj, has turned intense across the state. Bus services were disrupted in several regions, and clashes erupted in multiple locations as protesters attempted to forcibly shut down shops and block passing vehicles.
The impact was particularly severe for students in Kaniyapuram, where road blockades led to massive traffic congestion that prevented approximately 130 students from appearing for the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) engineering entrance exam. These students were unable to reach the Rajadhani Institute of Engineering and Technology in Attingal, which was a designated centre for 280 candidates, within the stipulated time.
In the capital, a heated argument broke out in front of the Thampanoor KSRTC bus terminal when police intervened to allow buses and autorickshaws to pass through. Meanwhile, in Neyyattinkara, protesters who blocked KSRTC buses were arrested and removed from the site. Similar disruptions were reported in Mulavana, Kollam, where private vehicles and buses were halted, and in Karalimukku, where a vehicle carrying teachers for exam evaluation duty was stopped by strike supporters.
The situation escalated in Adoor as police were forced to use force to clear the way after KSRTC buses were blocked. Private bus operators in Alappuzha completely suspended services for the day. In Thalavady, protesters forced the closure of the Panchayat office, while in Kottayam, banks and shops were shut down. A Beverages Corporation outlet in Mundakkayam was also closed following protest pressure. In the high-range areas of Kattappana, Kumily, and Thodupuzha, vehicles were widely blocked. The Action Council and affiliated organisations also took their protest to the streets of the capital, conducting a march to the Secretariat.
The Kerala High Court has intervened suo motu in response to the reports of violence and road blockades. A division bench, comprising Justice Basant Balaji and Justice P. Krishna Kumar, directed that contempt of court proceedings be initiated and sought an immediate report from the Director General of Police (DGP). When the court revisited the matter yesterday afternoon, the DGP informed the bench that 27 cases had been registered and more than 90 individuals had been arrested. The court has ordered that a detailed explanation be submitted as a formal report, noting that further legal proceedings will follow.
A distressing incident occurred in Thiruvalla when hartal supporters blocked a cancer patient and his wife who were travelling to a hospital. The couple had arrived at the Thiruvalla KSRTC bus stand from Angamaly at 8:00 AM, intending to travel to a private hospital in Kozhencherry. They became stranded as protesters refused to let the buses proceed. Despite the couple explaining their medical emergency to the protesters, the agitators refused to yield. Eventually, the police intervened and transported the patient to the hospital in a police jeep.
In the midst of the unrest, Nithin Raj’s father, Rajan, expressed his disapproval of the strike, stating that a hartal is not the solution for obtaining justice. He remarked that nothing should be achieved by causing hardship to the general public and emphasised that blocking the path of students and patients is fundamentally wrong.