Ashok Bhushan, J.

1. The above four writ petitions praying for police protection had been heard together and are being decided by this common judgment.

2. First two writ petitions have been filed by petitioners who are owners of lorries which are hired by quarry owners for the purpose of transportation of rocks and other materials from the quarry site. Third and fourth writ petitions have been filed by the petitioners who themselves are quarry owners quarrying rocks and other materials which are being transported by lorries. The facts of W.P.(C) No.8672 of 2014 are noted in detail, which shall be sufficient for deciding all these writ petitions.

3. W.P.(C) No.8672 of 2014 has been filed by three petitioners who claimed to be members of All Kerala Lorry Owners Association. Second petitioner claims to be the President of the Association. The Association owns several lorries which have been hired by various people including the quarry owners situated in Mookkunnimala, Thiruvananthapuram. There are only two access roads to reach Mookkunnimala; they are Edakode - Mookkunnimala and Malayam-Mookkunnimala. Objections were raised, by the people residing nearby the quarries, against the operation of quarries as well as transportation of quarried materials by lorries. Respondents 4 to 6 in W.P.(C) No.8672 of 2014 have raised protest with regard to the movement of lorries through the public road. Protest of respondents were both against the operation of quarries as well as plying of lorries on the two roads leading to quarries at Mookkunnimala. Petitioners submitted a compliant on 15.01.2014 to Sub Inspector of Nemom Police Station, Thiruvananthapuram alleging that lorries are not permitted to enter the quarry site, as the people has obstructed the path of the lorries. Effective police protection for lorries, for transporting through the above roads, was sought for in the complaint. Another complaint was submitted on 17.03.2014 before the Circle Inspector of Police. Petitioners, thereafter, filed W.P.(C) No.8672 of 2014 praying for the following reliefs:

"i. Issue a writ of mandamus or other appropriate writ, order or direction directing respondents 1 to 3 to afford adequate and effective police protection to the plying of all lorries of the petitioners carrying goods through the Edakode-Mookkuunimala-Malayam road without any obstruction or any other illegal acts from respondents 4 to 6 or anybody acting under or through them.

ii. Issue a writ of mandamus or other appropriate writ, order or direction directing respondents 1 to 3 to afford adequate and effective police protection to the life of the drivers of petitioners' lorries.

iii. Issue such other appropriate writ, order or direction that may be deemed to be just and equitable in the facts and circumstances of the case."

4. W.P.(C) No.11729 of 2014 has been filed by the sole petitioner, Sri. N. Satheesh Kumar, who claims to be the owner of several lorries plying for quarries at Mookkunnimala through the above mentioned two roads. Alleging obstruction by respondents 4 to 7 in the said writ petition, a petition was submitted on 15.04.2014 to the Sub Inspector of Police. Petitioner thereafter filed the writ petition seeking a direction to respondents 1 to 3 to afford adequate and effective police protection for the plying of all the lorries of the petitioner carrying goods through the aforesaid roads.

5. W.P.(C) No.14206 of 2014 has been filed by Southern Granite Industries, alleging that petitioners have been granted quarry lease dated 30.04.2010 consent to operate the unit by Pollution Control Board has also been referred to including the Panchayat license dated 04.04.2014. Petitioner company claims that they have engaged various lorries for transporting the materials quarried from the site. It is alleged that objectors including respondents 4 to 9 in the said writ petition have blocked the roads and stopped the vehicular movement. A Petition was also submitted by petitioner befor