Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 3 (IANS): Four Congress workers were hit and injured by the pilot vehicle of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan when he was returning home from office for lunch on Thursday, the Congress said.

Congress legislator M. Vincent told IANS that the four party workers got injured in two different incidents.

He said some Congress activists waving black flags were hit by the pilot vehicle in what he insisted was "a deliberate attempt", injuring two of them.

Later, another 200 metres from the first site, "the pilot vehicle knocked down two of our workers who were on a two-wheeler", said Vincent.

Congress legislator K.S. Sabarinadhan told IANS that two of them had been taken to the Medical College Hospital and two were being treated at the General Hospital.

"Our workers have got bruises and injuries on the shoulder, hands and legs," he said.

The Congress is observing Thursday as a black day to protest the manner in which the government facilitated two women to pray at the Sabarimala temple a day earlier.