Three hours into the hartal on Thursday, the Vadakkekkara police picked up a BJP activist who threatened to block vehicles.
They recorded his arrest and slapped him with IPC Section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty). It was the third such case registered against the accused, hailing from Kottayam, at Vadakkekkara police station since the BJP hartal in connection with the Sabarimala row on December 14. “He is a constant troublemaker who turns up here for protests,” said the police.
Five of the accused who were arrested in an incident involving assault on a woman Special Branch police officer on Wednesday were found to be from Kodungalloor.
“This helps them evade preventive detentions in their respective places and makes it easier to create trouble and scoot from places where they are delegated,” a senior officer with the Kochi City Police told The Hindu.