Ahmedabad/Rajkot/Patan: Various incidents of forced closures of shops, stone pelting, damaging and burning of buses and road blockades were reported from across the state even as over 200 protestors have been detained during the Gujarat Bandh called by Dalit Panthers and other outfits to protest the incident of publicly beating of some Dalits in Una taluka of Gir Somnath district a few days ago.

The Bandh following two days of violent protest which has claimed tow lives including that of a policeman, evoked mixed response.

Schools and shops remained closed at some places while the protestors force closed many such establishments.

Protestors in Porbandar town of Suarashtra today set a private bus ablaze near airport road after heavy stone pelting. However, no casualty has been reported. One youth in Una was hospitalized today after he consumed poison to protest the beating incident. A goods train and a passenger train were also stopped by protestors in Surendranagar and Botad districts.

Police detained over 70 protestors in Kosamba town under Mangrol taluka of Surat district while around 75 bandh supporters were detained in Sarangpur area of Ahmedabad where Dalit dominated areas like Kalpinagar, Asarwa, Saijpur, Majurgam, Amraivadi, Saraspur, Memco-Naroda crossing and some others in Eastern part of the city saw some response to the bandh call. Incidents of force closure and stone pelting were also reported from these areas. Police also had too resort to lobbing of tear gas shells to control the unruly mob. Protestors were also seen on roads in localities like Juna Vadaj, Bhimjipura, Chandlodiya and Ranip in the western part of the city where the bandh has almost negligible effect. An AMTS city bus of route number 138 was also targetted near Shardaben hospital area even as many such buses have been diverted or short terminated in the wake of the Bandh call. The routes of some BRTS buses int the affected areas of the city were also diverted. Around 1500 sweepers of AMC in New western zone remained on a flash strike this morning to support the bandh call. The bandh supporters also closed the shops and other establishments in Sanand town.

Over a dozen members of Dalit community were detained in Mochi Nagar close to civil hospital in Rajkot when they were trying to put a dead animal at a public place during Bandh. Shops and establishments in Ranavav in Porbandar remained closed while some shops were targetted by the bandh supporters in Bora Bazar and some other areas of Bhavnagar. Some bandh supporters also pelted stone on the Municipality building in Mahesana. Jotad town of Mahesana also saw some response to the bandh. Rallies by bandh supporters were also taken out at various places including Padra in Vadodara and Palanpur in Banaskantha district, Morbi, Bhavnagar. Incidents of scuffles between bandh supporters and shop owners at many places including Aravalli were also reported.

Bandh supporters stopped a goods train near Vadhvad in Surendranagar and a passenger train in Botad while pelted stone on City Point theater and other commercial establishments in Patan town, the home city of Chief Minister Anandiben Patel who today visited Mota Samdhiyana village in Una and met with the families of the victim dalits. She also visited the civil hospital in Rajkot where some of the victims and those youths who attempted to kill themselves by consuming poison to protest the incident, were under treatment. Police also reportedly detained some persons who were trying to show her black flag near the hospital in Rajkot. Meanwhile a dalit youth in Una today also attempted suicide by consuming poison amid protests and bandh call there. He was admitted to hospital. Over a dozen such incidents have already been reported in various parts of Saurashtra in last tow days.

Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation has stopped the operations of its buses on many routes in Saurashtra and North Gujarat region. The running of Buses from Dhoraji, Upleta, Gondal, Vanthali, Amreli, Junagadh, Rajkot, Patan and some other depots of the corporation has been on a virtual standstill. In Vanthali of Junagadh a mob today damaged the glasses of four such buses. The operation of BRTS buses on several routes of Rajkot city has also been stopped or diverted.

There were reports of road blockades at several places including in Junagadh, Surendranagar, Rajkot and Patan, Kheda, Chota Udepur.

Interestingly at some places like Halvad in Surendranagar district and Junagadh, the business class closed their establishments at their own to support the Bandh. In Junagadh the private school operators also closed their schools as a precautionary measure.

Meanwhile Security has been tightened across the state in the wake of the bandh call which was taking place after two days of protests that has taken two lives including that of a policeman.

Close on heels to the CM’s visit to Mota Samdhiyana, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi is likely to visit the village tomorrow. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is also likely to visit the village day after tomorrow.

Chief Minister Mrs Anandiben Patel today once again appealed the people to maintain peace.

Updates:

Unruly Bandh supporters who went on rampage in the main market of Porbandar city also attacked the office of Deputy Superintendent of Police (Rural) and damaged some police vehicles there. The mob had earlier set a private bus ablaze near airport.

Four more incidents of suicide attempts against Una incident have been reported, two youths consumed poisonous liquid near Galaxy crossing in Dhoraji, where the bandh has seen a wide response.

In Botad, two more dalits were hospitalized following self immolation bid. So far a total of five such incidents have been reported today with the first coming from Una where a youth consumed poison earlier in the day.

Over a dozen youths with such attempts during the last two days were already in various hospitals across Saurashtra.

DeshGujarat