Zeenews Bureau
Bhopal, July 03: At least two people were killed in Indore on Thursday when skirmishes broke out between two groups during the BJP-VHP bandh over the Amarnath land deal in Jammu and Kashmir. Section 144 has been imposed in Jhabua to control the situation.A businessman in Satna put himself on fire even as protesters went on a rampage in Delhi, Mumbai, Karnataka, MP and other parts of the country. The protests have been extended for another 72 hours in Jammu.
Three police stations in Indore- Pandharinath, Chatripura, Khajrana have been put under curfew.
Major highways that were temporarily blocked include the Agra-Delhi highway in Delhi and Western Express Highway in Mumbai. Many trains are also being targeted; Delhi-Bhopal Shatabdi Express has been stopped near Agra.
The VHP is also taking an active part in the bandh. “The forest act issue is just an excuse,” VHP general secretary Venkatesh Abdeo said. “This is a conspiracy to stop the Amarnath pilgrimage. Tomorrow it will be Vaishnodevi and Tirupati.”
Meanwhile, the situation in Jammu remains tense with curfew remained in various parts of the state.
In the National Capital Region, major traffic jams have been reported from Vikas Marg in East Delhi and also sporadic incidents are being reported from other areas. There are also reports that Shalimar Express coming to Delhi has been detained near Ghaziabad.
There were also reports of VHP activists forcibly
shutting shops in the Lakshmi Nagar area. Shops were also closed in Karol Bagh.
Delhi Police, however, said adequate security
arrangements have been made in view of the strike call and a
strict vigil was being maintained.
The severity of the bandh is especially strong in NDA ruled states. Major disruptions have been reported in Punjab, where BJP activists have took to the streets in Ludhiana and Jalandhar.
In many parts of MP, schools and colleges have been shutdown to prevent any untoward incident.
VHP activists damage buses, put blockades in Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur
Incidents of stone pelting and
road blockades were reported in various parts of the
financial capital this morning during the day-long countrywide
protest. BJP leader Gopinath Munde was also taken into custody along with a number of supporters.
Protesters suspected to be from the VHP today pelted
buses with stones in suburban Kandivili damaging five best
buses, police said. Hundreds of VHP supporters blocked important arterial
roads at Vakola, Malad and Borivili in Northwest Mumbai and in
the Northeast suburb of Ghatkopar that caused difficulties to
officegoers in reaching their workplaces, they said.
The police have, however, dispersed the crowd and
ensured a smooth traffic flow. Nobody was reported injured in the incidents of stone
pelting and road blockades, police said.
The "bharath bandh" turned violent also in Thane
city and surrounding areas with activists targeting public
transport and other establishments.
Incidents of stone pelting on state transport and
private vehicles, by VHP activists were reported from various
parts of the city including Naupada and Wagle Estate, police
said.
The members of right wing Hindu organisation were
moving around the city since morning with flags in their hands
forcing shop owners to down shutters. The activists also disrupted traffic at some places by
putting blockades on roads.
Meanwhile, at least three activists have been arrested
in connection with the incidents in Naupada, they said. Sporadic incidents of stone pelting were also reported
from Kalyan, Dombivili and other parts of the district.
No report of anybody getting injured during the
incidents was received.
Even in Nagpur incidents of stone pelting were reported from
Dighori and few places in south and eastern part of the city,
said police. Some activists damaged about eight buses late
last night in eastern part of city, they said.
Shops, business establishments and educational
institutions were closed in most parts.
Bandh evokes good response in parts of Karnataka
Shops and business establishments
in several parts of Karnataka remained closed today with the
state's bus services hit following the countrywide bandh
called by the BJP over the Amarnath shrine board land transfer
issue.
However, the bandh evoked little response in the state
capital. Government offices functioned normally and public
transport vehicles plied as usual in Bangalore though the
traffic wore a thin look. Normalcy was affected in the districts of Dakshina
Kannada, Udupi, Mysore, Kodagu as well as in Hubli-Dharwad,
among others, where bus services were also hit.
Police said they have made adequate precautionary
measures to maintain law and order in the BJP-ruled state,
where the party's state-unit has extended full support to the
bandh. The bandh was however not supported by the government.
"Since it is not a government-sponsored bandh, all government
offices as well as schools and colleges will function
normally," a police official said.
He said democratic protests would be allowed in the
city. "Necessary protection will be given to those who seek
the same," the official said. "Apart from organising bandobusts in all the districts
and Bangalore City, additional measures have been taken in
sensitive areas," he said, adding that intensive patrolling in
the city were arranged.
Earlier yesterday, fifty people were injured, including 13 in a grenade attack by militants on a rally in Bhaderwah, as Jammu saw stepped-up violence against the Amarnath land transfer revocation, forcing authorities to deploy the army in sensitive areas.
They said Jammu-Srinagar, Jammu-Poonch and Jammu-Pathankot highways were also clogged with Kashmiri migrants and activists of Hindu groups squatting at various points.
Demanding removal of Governor N N Vohra for revoking the order transferring forestland to Amarnath shrine board, BJP, VHP and Shiv Sena activists fought pitched battles with police at various places.
First Published: Thursday, July 03, 2008, 00:00