Kotkhai gangrape-murder: Shimla wears a deserted look as BJP calls for a bandh

Protests rocked Himachal on Wednesday following the death of one of the six accused in police custody at Kotkhai. Later, an angry mob set the police station and three police vehicles on fire.

The main shopping and tourism centres of Shimla wore a deserted look on Thursday following a bandh call by the Bharatiya Janata Party to protest against the alleged failure of the Virbhadra government to investigate the gruesome rape and murder of a schoolgirl in Kotkhai town, nearly 50 km from here.

Shimla wore a deserted look on Thursday following a bandh call by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). (Ravi Kumar/HT)

Shimla’s Mall Road wears a deserted look with shops closed in protest against the gangrape and murder of the 16-year-old Kotkhai schoolgirl.

Most shops on the Mall Road and Lower Bazaar remained closed this morning. Shopkeepers said they feared violence as tempers are running high amongst protesters. BJP and CPIM plan to hold two protests today afternoon. BJP workers have also announced their decision to gherao the HP secretariat at Chhota Shimla.

People protesting at the Mall Road in Shimla on Thursday.

Protests rocked Himachal on Wednesday following the death of one of the six accused in police custody at Kotkhai. Later, an angry mob set the police station and three police vehicles on fire.