The State police inspected at least two commercial establishments in Kannur purportedly to ferret out behind-the-scenes operators responsible for funding and coordinating the violence that marked the Popular Front of India (PFI) hartal last week.
The probe reportedly focused on whether the businesses had provided motorcycles, escape money and safe houses for the aggressors.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had pointedly noted that the violence seemed premeditated and carried out mainly by masked and helmeted persons moving fast on motorcycles. A top official said the inspections were solely related to the events in Kannur on the hartal day. It was not a State-wide crackdown.
