Punjab bandh highlights: Shops remained shut in several districts for protest over Manipur

Amid a call for a bandh and protest by the local SC and Christian communities over the Manipur issue, the Punjab Police has deployed heavy police force in Amritsar to maintain a calm and stable situation, according to the police officials.

According to the police, around 100 police officials have been deployed in each zone to maintain law and order during the protest. (ANI)

A shopkeeper opened fire after some protesters tried to enforce the Punjab bandh in Kot Isse Khan town in Moga district on Wednesday.

The injured has been identified as Balwant Singh of Kot Isse Khan in Moga. As per information, Balwant was hit by a bullet in the chest and was admitted to a private hospital in Moga. later, doctors referred him to the Dayanand Medical College in Ludhiana as his condition remained critical.

Police said that the accused is a mobile phone shop owner and when protesters asked him to close his shop they had a heated argument. "When arguments escalated, the shopkeeper opened fire on the protesters and one person sustained bullet injury," police said.

Protestors blocked the road in Kot Isse Khan chowk in Moga district after a shopkeeper opened fire on them over argument on closure of roads.

Punjab police personnel gathered before the march past at Ambedkar Park in Bathinda during the call for Punjab bandh today against violence in Manipur, on Wednesday. ( Photo by Sanjeev Kumar/ Hindustan Times).

A shopkeeper shot at one of the protesters, who were trying to close shops in Kot Isse Khan in Moga district as part of Punjab Bandh. The shopkeeper opened fire after having a heated argument. The injured have been admitted to the hospital, while a case of attempt to murder has been registered against the shopkeeper.

Protestors blocked Jalandhar-Hoshiarpur road near Rama Mandi.

There are no blockades on the Delhi-Amritsar national highway, however, the protestors have blocked approach roads at Rama Mandi chowk and Lamma Pind square. The protestors have also blocked Jalandhar-Hoshiarpur roads, besides blocking Kapurthala chowk, Maqsudan bypass and Ravidas chowk.

Amid the Punjab bandh, transport services in major places across the state remained unaffected unti 11 am.

Punjab Police today took out flag march in several places to ensure there is no unrest in the wake of demonstration across the state.

While Amritsar city is being observed shut largely in response to the Punjab Bandh call given by the SC organizations, other parts of Majha region are seeing mixed response.

Central part of Amritsar city is witnessing the complete shutdown and shops in almost all the main markets including Hall Bazaar, Katra Jaimal Singh Bazaar and other markets in vicinity of the Golden Temple are shut. However, some shops are open in other parts of the city.

Other services including transport, banking, health, government services are normal. The schools are almost open. Some schools decided to exempt the small children from coming to the school due to safety concern. Partial Bandh is being observed in towns of Amritsar district.

There is mixed response to the call in Pathankot, Gurdaspur and Batala. However, the shopkeepers have not decorated the items outside the shops and can shut the shops if any protest march is taken out in the markets.

The situation is almost normal in Tarn Taran district. All the commercial outlets are open in Tarn Taran town as the call failed the make any impact here.

Information says that the bus and train services in the region were unaffected till 10.30 am. There was no input of any attempt to disrupt the public transport or the highways.

The call of complete shut down against violence in Manipur evokes overwhelming response in Doaba districts including Jalandhar, Kapurthala and SBS Nagar.

Several organisations including multiple Christian organisations and social organisations have given the call of complete bandh in Punjab from 9am to 5pm.

Several market organisations have decided in prior to shut their commercial establishments.

Most of the commercial area remained shut in initial hour. Meanwhile, there is no impact on transportation facilities.

However, high security arrangements have been made to avoid untoward incident.

Districts including Bathinda, Moga and Faridkot witnessed hardly any impact of bandh. Whereas, Ferozepur has witnessed an overwhelming response to the bandh call.

All members of Bar Association, Moonak has extended their support to call of ‘Punjab Band’.

AK Joshi, president of Bar Association Moonak, said the meeting of executive committee was held on Wednesday and it was unanimously resolved that bar association Moonak will observe "NO WORK DAY" today on account of Punjab Band call given by several communities against Manipur violence.

The Bahujan Samaj Party, Communist Coordination Committee comprising the Revolutionary Marxist Party of India and Marxist Communist Party of India-United also extended their support to the Punjab bandh.

The protest across the state has been organised primarily against the mistreatment of women in Manipur amid the ongoing ethnic violence and against the handling of the unrest by the central government. 

Petrol pumps and local shops will remain operational, with an exception for places where the likelihood of unrest is high amid the demostration.

People belonging to the Christian community are likely to hold Bible in their hands while demonstrating.

Apostolic administrator Bishop Agnelo Gracias re-affirmed the support to the Punjab bandh on behalf of the Diocese of Jullundar. “Given the fact that till today the situation in Manipur has shown no appreciable improvement, the Diocese certainly supports the bandh,” he said in a statement.

Given the potential intensity of the bandh, the market associations in Jalandhar have announced to keep their shops shut on today.

The organisers announced that demonstration will be carried out at key intersections of cities and satellite towns. Some highways are expected to see blockades. 

In order to maintain the law and order situation, heavy police will be deployed in key areas. Meanwhile, the bandh will not disrupt the movement of vehicles of essential services including ambulances.

Keeping in view of the potential unrest in the state, the Punjab government has announced closure of schools. However, the emergency services such as hospitals, banks will run as scheduled unless there is a separate direction of closure.