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Strike hits normal life

Staff Reporter

Total in Malappuram, Palakkad and Kannur districts

SAFE WALK: A group of schoolchildren walk along a vehicle-free highway in Malappuram. Roads wore a deserted look in the district following the strike call given by Left trade unions in protest against the hike in fuel prices.

MALAPPURAM: The 12-hour nation-wide strike called by the Left parties in protest against the increase in the prices of petrol and diesel turned out to be total in Malappuram district on Tuesday.

No untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the district.

Streets wore a deserted look with most vehicles keeping off the road. Work in Government offices at the Civil Station was disrupted with most employees keeping away. As many as 66 of the 176 employees at the Collectorate kept away from work. Many others went on leave.

Business establishment, except medical shops and hospitals, remained closed in major towns of Malappuram. Most hotels also remained closed.

Vehicles began to ply by 5 p.m.

The Left parties and the CITU claimed the strike was a huge success.

Staff Reporter adds from Palakkad: The strike affected normal life in the district. Vehicles, except two-wheelers and some private cars, kept off the road. The market, business establishments and offices remained closed. Government offices had very thin attendance. The private transport and KSRTC buses did not operate its services.

The trade unions had appealed to all sections of the people to join the strike to convey to the Centre their protest against the recent price hike in petroleum products.

Meanwhile, the joint action council of trade unions consisting of the Left unions took out a march through the streets of Palakkad town.

The march from Victoria College ended at Municipal bus stand with a public meeting.

The meeting was addressed by N.N. Krishnadas, MP, M. Narayanan, CPI(M) leader, T.K. Naushad (CITU), Vijayan Kunissery (AITUC) among others.

Staff Reporter adds from Kannur: The strike passed off peacefully with no untoward incident being reported from any part of the district.

The functioning of commercial establishments, Government offices, educational institutions and banks was affected by the general strike. Most vehicles, including KSRTC and private buses, remained off the roads.

Barring medical shops, shops in the town and suburbs remained closed.

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Strike hits normal life

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