KOTTAYAM
A thick security blanket enveloped Kottayam town in connection with the visit of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for the 56th Kerala Gazetted Officers Association conference and it disrupted normal life for three hours on Saturday.
While the function to be attended by the Chief Minister was scheduled to take place at 11 a.m., the police sealed all arterial and interior roads to Kottayam town about one-and-a-half hours prior to the event. Barricades were erected at Baselios College Junction, Collectorate Junction, Market, Erayilkadavu and other places along NH 183.
The unforeseen regulations, effected in view of intelligence reports that protesters would wave black flags at the Chief Minister, led to traffic gridlocks along the town and irate commuters were seen arguing with the police on duty at several points.
Hundreds of police personnel were deployed at the Government Guest House at Nattakom where Mr. Vijayan had stayed overnight. Personnel on duty were posted all along his route to the Mammen Mappillai Hall where he was slated to attend the function.
Mr.Vijayan reached the event venue about half an hour ahead of the scheduled timing and delivered a speech for an hour. The police removed the security placed at various spots of NH 183 and other roads only after he left the venue by 11.40 a.m.
The people, including patients and their bystanders at the General Hospital opposite to the conference venue, had a harrowing time in dealing with the curbs on their movement.
Despite the security cover, activists of the Youth Congress (YC) and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) waved black flags at him at Nagampadam and Manippuzha respectively. While the Yuva Morcha activists waved flags at him while on his way to attend the function, the Youth Congress workers staged protest during his departure to Kochi. As many as six activities including Youth Congress district president Chintu Kurien Joy were arrested in connection with the incident.
