Thiruvananthapuram, October 17 (BPNS)
A division bench of the Kerala High Court has directed the state government to file a report on the loss (to both public and private properties) quantified by it in connection with the hartal called by the state unit of Popular Front of India (PFI) on September 23.
The division bench, while hearing the suo motu contempt case initiated by it against the PFI, also sought details of arrests made by the police so far, bail applications pending before various courts, and details about the recoveries initiated against the properties of the leaders.
It was Justices AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Mohammad Nias CP who came out with such a direction on Monday. The case will again be considered on November 7.
In another development, Justice Devan Ramachandran asked for the full details regarding the treatment provided to Kerala Road Transport Corporation employees, who sustained injuries in the PFI hartal called on September 23. Demanding the same, Justice Ramachandran said that the employees are the victims of the hartal day and they require the full support of civil society and the KSRTC management. The matter will again be heard on November 8.
The PFI’s flash hartal call was against the backdrop of the arrests and raids by the National Investigation Agency. According to the state police, till October 15, concerning hartal-related violence, a total of 361 cases were registered and 2,693 arrests were also made. The most cases were registered in Malappuram (34) and the most number of arrests were recorded in Kottayam (411). PFI has been banned by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the UAPA.
