Damage during Kerala bandh: KSRTC seeks ₹5cr in damages from PFI

In a plea, the corporation said at least 70 buses were damaged and many employees and passengers were hurt in the violence perpetrated by organisers of the hartal. Besides this, KSRTC also said it lost a major portion of the day’s revenue due to work disruption.

The Kerala state road transport corporation (KSRTC) that bore maximum brunt during a state bandh called by the Popular Front of India (PFI) on Friday moved the Kerala high court on Tuesday seeking ₹5.06 crore for the damage incurred during the bandh.

The Kerala state road transport corporation (KSRTC) that bore maximum brunt during a state bandh called by the Popular Front of India (PFI) on Friday moved the Kerala high court on Tuesday seeking ₹5.06 crore for the damage incurred during the bandh. (PTI)

In a plea, the corporation said at least 70 buses were damaged and many employees and passengers were hurt in the violence perpetrated by organisers of the hartal. Besides this, KSRTC also said it lost a major portion of the day’s revenue due to work disruption.

The petition moved by KSRTC counsel T Deepu sought direction to the PFI to pay compensation to the loss sustained. It mentioned that police registered 50 cases against bandh supporters based on the complaints of its officials.

The state witnessed unprecedented violence during the bandh. Besides damaging government buses, bombs were hurled at several places, shops and business establishments were forcibly closed and opened ones were damaged and many people were hurt in stone pelting.

The high court had initiated a case on its own last week and asked the government to submit a detailed report on how it will accrue damages for destruction of public properties. “We will not leave those who damaged our buses. We will extract enough compensation from them,” said transport minister Antony Raju.

Meanwhile, police continued crackdown on PFI workers in connection with violence on bandh day. Two activists were held from Kollam for hitting two policemen with their bike injuring both seriously. They were charged with many sections including attempt to murder.

Five others were arrested from Kottayam and Alappuzha districts for pelting stones at government buses.

The state police chief’s office said total arrested in connection with violence rose to 1,809. Maximum arrests were from Kottayam 387 followed by Thiruvananthauram 204, Kollam 192 and Malappuram 165. The union government has also sought a report from the state home ministry about violence on bandh day.