The SDPI had called for a bandh in Kerala on Friday protesting against the arrest of the Popular Front of India office-bearer. The bus services from Ukkadam Bus Stand in Coimbatore to Kerala were thus halted.
Coimbatore: In the wake of the bandh call by the SDPI in Kerala, buses plying from Coimbatore to Kerala were halted on Friday, causing a lot of inconvenience to passengers.
Officials of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) across India, arrested a total of 19 people across the country, including eight in Kerala and three in Coimbatore. Raids and interrogation were done at the offices of the Popular Front of India and at the residences of its office-bearers. Protest meetings and demonstrations were held on behalf of the SDPI, Popular Front of India and Islamic federations on Thursday. Following this, the SDPI had announced a bandh in Kerala on Friday to protest against the arrest of Popular Front of India office bearers.
A complete bandh is being observed across Kerala, today. In particular, the bus services from Kerala to Coimbatore and from Coimbatore to Kerala have been suspended due to non-operation of bus services, inconveniencing passengers at the Ukkadam bus stand in Coimbatore. As buses were stopped at the Walayar border in the morning itself, passengers travelling from Coimbatore to Kerala avoided using the bus services.
As a result, the name boards of buses from Coimbatore to Kerala regularly plying to Palakkad, Kollam, Kozhinjaparai, Thrissur and other places have been replaced as being operated to Pollachi. The normal life of the public has been badly affected due to non-operation of bus services between Coimbatore and Kerala.