Lorry cleaner stoned to death in Kerala; Mettupalayam vegetable market association decides to stop trade with Kerala

Mettupalayam: The vegetable market association pulled their shutters down today, to show their condemnation against the stone pelting incident in Kerala which claimed the life of a lorry cleaner. 

Vijay Kumar alias Mubarak Baksha from Annur, a lorry cleaner died of injuries out of a stone pelting incident that took near Walayar on July 23. It is reported that an unknown gang stopped the lorry driven by Noorulah and pelted stones at them for driving lorry during strike.

The lorry was carrying vegetables to Alapuzha, Kerala from the Mettupalayam market. In this incident, cleaner of the lorry cleaner Mubarak Baksha from Vadakkaloor village near Annur succumbed to injuries. 

Around 1000 tonnes of vegetables are transported to Kerala from Mettupalayam market every day. Meanwhile, the incident jolted the lorry drivers, cleaners and vegetable mandi owners in Mettupalayam who decided to refrain from transporting vegetables to Kerala.

As their decision could cost a huge loss and harmony between the two states, negotiations were held to pacify the irked lorry and vegetable Mandi owners. 

Following the negotiations, the lorry and vegetable Mandi owners jointly decided to hold their decision for time being and closed down their operations for a day. Hence, more than 200 wholesale Mandi remained closed today in Mettupalayam.