MP bandh to protest prof's death

Schools and colleges remain closed across the state on Tuesday.

As rest of the country celebrated Teachers' Day, schools and colleges remained closed across Madhya Pradesh in the wake of a Congress-sponsored bandh to protest the state government's "attempts to shield" people responsible for the death of Prof H S Sabbarwal in Ujjain last week.

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Tension was reported from Jabalpur following the bandh with BJP-backed ABVP activists trying to prevent those from Congress' students wing NSUI attempting to forcibly close down shops and business establishments.

Similar incidents were also reported from Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior and certain other places in the state as part of the day-long bandh.

While private schools and colleges remain closed, government-run educational institutions hardly reported any attendance. People working in government offices in several parts of the state also stayed home fearing trouble.

A report from Ujjain, where Sabbarwal died on August 26, however, spoke of certain business establishments and banks opening after mid-day.

Officials in Bhopal said no untoward incidents had been reported so far. "We are fully geared to ensure a complete and peaceful bandh throughout the state," state Congress spokesperson Manak Aggarwal told PTI in Bhopal.

In Bhopal, almost all schools declared a holiday while government run educational institutions presented a deserted look.