Kerala man bathes in muddy water in unique protest against potholed roads

Some planted paddy saplings. Some installed life-size rubber crocodiles. Some launched coracles. Across the years, protests against potholed roads in different parts of the country have always been imaginative.

A social activist in Kerala's Malappuram district took his protest against potholed roads to unusual lengths. Hamza Porali, along with his friend Azhar Mohammed camped near one particularly deep one on a road in East Pandikkad.


Then as curious onlookers watched, Hamza changed into a towel, washed his clothes in the waters of the pothole and then proceeded to take a bath in the same muddy waters.

Later on, Hamza struck a few yoga poses with the young men who gathered at the protest venue cheering him on. He even stood for a while on one leg, his hands raised high above his head.

In the video that was aired on several news channels, the local MLA UA Latheef could be seen getting down from his car at the site of the protest to talk to Hamza.

Latheef, who belongs to the opposition Muslim League and represents Manjeri, was heard telling Hamza to plant "four-five" plantain saplings in the pothole.

Due to heavy seasonal rains, roads in Kerala are often in a state of disrepair. The video surfaced a day after the Kerala High Court directed the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to immediately complete the repair works of the roads in the state under it within one week. The court took up the case on its own after a man in Ernakulam district lost his life when his bike fell into a pothole.