IANS

Kozhikode, Jul 3: Kerala observed its 57th shutdown of this year Thursday, if one takes into account all the village, district and state-level shutdowns.

Routine life was affected in the state as it joined the nationwide protests called by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) against the Jammu and Kashmir government's decision to revoke its order on land allotment to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).

Private transport was off the roads and Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) operated a few services with police protection. Educational institutions and shops were closed.

"If you take into account the different level shutdowns being observed in the state (at state, district and village levels), this is the 57th shutdown observed in Kerala this year," says K. Chandrababu, state general secretary of Hartal Virudha Munnani, an organisation campaigning against shutdowns.

A few minor incidents of violence were reported Thursday when supporters of the shutdown stoned some KSRTC buses in Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts.

"Today's (Thursday) is the fourth state-wide shutdown this year," Chandrababu said.

Unlike, the earlier shutdowns, when the government did not take measures to prevent disruption of normal life, this time the state police chief has asked people to approach the security forces if they face any problems due to the shutdown.