Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by the BSP and some social organisations against a recent Supreme Court order on reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs) evoked mixed response in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday.
Nevertheless, some cities saw incidents of violence during the Bandh – especially in Chhatarpur – the police had to resort to lathi-charge to quell a violent mob that forced the shopkeepers to put up their shutters. Members of the Bhim Army smashed some shops. In the incident, some people sustained injuries.
A group of people attacked a garment shop in Chhatarpur and injured a youth. Superintendent of police Agam Jain convinced the mob not to resort to violence, but when the situation was going out of order, he ordered the policemen to resort to lathi-charge. Just as the police began to rain lathi blows on the mob they began to escape and the situation was under control. In Morena, the Bharat Bandh evoked partial response.
The protesters took out a rally and handed over a memorandum to the district administration. A group of people took out rallies in Jabalpur, Bhind, Shivpuri, Narmadapuram, Balaghat and other places of the state. In a few districts, bus services remained suspended for a few hours. Later, the services were restored. In Bhopal and its surrounding areas like Narmadapuram life remained peaceful, and there was no impact of the Bandh anywhere.
