A group set an office of the Communist Party of India (CPI) at Tumbya near Bantwal Bypass on fire in the early hours of Thursday. This is suspected to have been done by those protesting against the entry of two women to the Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala.
According to a complaint filed by B. Shekar, Bantwal taluk CPI secretary, miscreants entered the office by breaking open the rear door. They set on fire files, receipts, registers, and other documents related to beedi workers, construction labourers, and other workmen.
Mr. Shekar came to the office at 8.30 a.m. and saw smoke emanating from the shutters. He opened the office to see the documents burning. A few chairs, glass panel of a cubicle, and a wooden table were damaged in the fire. Mr. Shekar took help of neighbours to put off the fire and then informed the police.
The complainant suspected that this was an act of unknown persons who are enraged over the entry of women to Sabarimala temple. The police are on the look out for the accused.
KSRTC services hit
Mangaluru and Puttur divisions of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) had to suspend operations of 55 services towards Kerala on account of hartal on Thursday.
A Karnataka Sarige and an Airavat Club Class (Volvo) coaches of Mangaluru Division got damaged in stone pelting in that State, said divisional controller Deepak Kumar.
He said while the Airavat bus was stoned en route, the other bus was targeted when it was parked at Kasaragod bus station.
The division lost 16,000 km operations and ₹6.5 lakh revenue, Mr. Kumar said. On the other hand, Puttur Division lost about 4,600 km operations and ₹1.25 lakh revenue, according divisional controller Nagaraj Shirali.