Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Apr 23: In protest against yesterday’s attack on tourists at Pahalgam in South Kashmir district of Anantnag by terrorists, Jammu region observed a total dawn to dusk shutdown today with shopkeepers downing the shutters of their business establishments, while private educational institutions remained closed and traffic was off the roads in response to the bandh call given by VHP, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, political and socio-religious organizations.
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The response to the bandh call all over region was spontaneous and people from all communities supported the bandh to condemn the yesterday’s dastardly act of terrorists in Pahalgam in which 26 tourists drawn from different parts of country attained martyrdom.
Total bandh was observed in Jammu city and its outskirts with irate people holding demonstrations at different parts of the city shouting slogans and torching effigies of Pakistan.
At various places, the protestors had burnt tyre tubes on the roads to impede the movement of vehicular traffic. The protestors even did not allow three wheelers and private vehicles to move on roads. However, the bandh passed peacefully as no untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the region. The members of Muslim community fully supported the bandh and participated in protests all-over Jammu region.
To avert any untoward incident, the police had installed barricades with barbed wire in sensitive areas. A big contingent of police and security forces were deployed in entire Jammu region to maintain law and order.
To impede the movement of vehicular traffic, the protestors had burnt tyre tubes at Rehari Chowk, Jewel Chowk, Chinore Chowk, Akhnoor road, Bohri Chungi and other places where massive protests were also held.
Chairman All J&K Transport Welfare Association Karan Singh Wazir whose organization had also given bandh call and asked transporters to remain off the roads today while strongly condemning the killings of tourists said the terrorists and Pakistan should be given a befitting reply for this barbaric and dastardly act.
Total bandh was observed in Nagrota, Akhnoor, Khour, Arnia, Bishnah, R S Pura, Suchetgarh and Nowshera where the people voluntarily responded to bandh call .
Complete bandh was also held in the towns of Samba, Vijaypur, Bari Brahmanah and Ramgarh, Mansar where people held demonstrations in protest against Pahalgam killings.
Rajouri district and its other towns observed a complete bandh with various socio- religious and political organisations holding a massive protest in the town against the killings.
Several Muslim organisations, both jointly and individually, took out protest marches in Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar, Banihal and Udhampur. The Muslims also joined the protests in Kishtwar, Doda and Bhaderwah to show solidarity with the bereaved families and strongly condemned the dastardly act of terrorists.
On the call of various organizations, complete bandh was observed in Poonch and markets in entire district including major towns remained closed in support of the call.
Total bandh was observed in holy township of Katra and Reasi, where the protestors took out rallies against the killing of tourists in Pahalgam.
Shutdown was observed in Kishtwar, Doda and Bhadarwah towns with traders of both Muslim and Hindu communities fully responding to the bandh call.
Members of both Hindu and Muslim communities observed total bandh in Batote, Ramban and Banihal to protest against the killing of tourists by terrorists.
Total bandh was observed in Hiranagar, Billawar, Ramkote, Kathua, Lakhanpur, Basohli and other towns of Kathua district today. In Kathua the bandh enforcers blocked Jammu -Pathankot National Highway for half an hour.
There was total bandh in Udhampur and its other towns including Chenani, Rembhal, Garhi, Majalta and Ramnagar where people also held massive protests against Pakistan and terrorism.
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