THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The locals stopped the officials from laying the survey stones for the SilverLine Project. The protests are continuing in many parts of the state.

Protests started from morning at Chottanikkara, at Nattassery and Samkranti in Kottayam. The police had reached the spot following a dispute between the residents of the area and K Rail officials.

The locals removed the stones laid at Areekkad in Kozhikode. The protests here are staged by the BJP. The Youth Congress staged a march at the Kollam Collectorate against the project.

Their plan was to lay anti-SilverLine stones in the Collectorate. However, the police stopped the protesters in front of the gate. The people took to the streets at Thirunavaya in Malappuram against the laying of stones. The laying of stones in the area has been postponed following strong protests.

Meantime, the DGP has directed the police to exercise restraint after strong protests were witnessed in the state. The directive also calls for raising awareness among the protesters in collaboration with the local government.

Opposition leader V D Satheesan said that if the government goes forward with K Rail, the UDF leaders will remove it and go to jail. He said ordinary people would not be allowed to go to jail and would not succumb to arrogance and intimidation.