The dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the Opposition Left Democratic Front in Kerala has so far been near-total with sporadic incidents of violence being reported.

The hartal is in protest against police action on activists who marched here yesterday demanding resignation of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in the solar scam.

Violence was reported from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) strongholds in the northern districts of Kannur and Kozhikode.

In Thiruvananthapuram, a private car and a freight carrier were pelted with stones in two incidents in the first few hours of the hartal that began at 6 a.m. Car of a sitting MLA was targeted in a third.

Only a few cars and two-wheelers took to the streets, which saw massive violence and police action lasting for up to five hours until 3 p.m. yesterday. Shops and trading establishments remain shuttered.

Those who alighted at the main bus and railway stations without knowledge of the hartal were seen walking around in search of police assistance to be ferried home.

Those bound for the Government medical college here received a helping hand from the police and reached their destination in vehicles commandeered by the latter.

Organisers of the hartal have said that essential services (milk supply, medical services, weddings etc) will be spared.

Kerala, Mahatma Gandhi, Cochin, Kozhikode and Kannur universities have announced cancellation of examinations which were scheduled to be held today.

Meanwhile, the Left Democratic Front has said that it would embark on a series of protest programmes from July 12 to seek the resignation of the Chief Minister.

>vinson.kurian@thehindu.co.in