Sudheesh, a 39-year-old RSS worker, has been arrested for attacking Kozhikode couple Julius Nikithas and Saniyo Manomi for defying protests by hartal supporters on Saturday. Kuttiyadi police station sub-inspector confirmed the arrest. The accused is now in police custody and will be taken to court soon.

Julius, son of former MLA KK Lathika and CPI (M) district secretary P Mohanan, and his wife Saniyo, Asianet reporter, were attacked twice on Saturday when they were travelling in their car. Julius was injured and suffered nose bleeding, while Saniyo, too, had minor wounds. They were going from Saniyo’s house in Paleri to Julius’s house in Ambalakkulangara when the first attack came from a 10-member gang.

They were at first taken to the Kuttiyadi Taluk Hospital. Due to grave injuries, the two had to be taken to Kozhikode Medical College. On their way to the hospital, with police protection, hartal supporters attacked their car a second time, hurling stones at it. People in a jeep, which was accompanying them, were also attacked.

The dawn-to-dusk state-wide hartal had been called by the Hindu Aikya Vedi and Sabarimala Karma Samithi to protest the arrest of KP Sasikala, Hindu Aikya Vedi president. Sasikala tried to enter Sabarimala, defying police curfew late night on Friday. She was granted bail on Saturday by the Sub Divisional Magistrate Court in Thiruvalla.

On Saturday evening, BJP state general secretary K Surendran, too, had been taken into preventive custody from Nilakkal, Sabarimala, and taken to Chittaar police station. The arrest happened when police officers stationed at Nilakkal were concerned that he would organise protests at Pamba and create trouble. He and two other BJP leaders were remanded into judicial custody on Sunday morning for a period of 14 days by the Pathanamthitta Special Court Magistrate.