The bandh called by a united front of Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha, Rashtriya Parasuram Sena, Prabhudhajan Nagarika Manch and various other organizations of the upper caste and OBCs against the government sponsored amendment to the SC / ST Act passed off peacefully in Gwalior District on Thursday.
However, minor squabbles were reported from the Hajira and Morar areas of the city, where two groups clashed with each other when one group was forcing the shopkeepers to close the shops.
Normal life in the city was partially affected as educational institutions, petrol pumps and most shops remained closed till late in the afternoon. However banks, other financial institutions, hospitals and a few restaurants remained open.
Earlier The Gwalior Chamber of Commerce had passed a resolution to support the bandh and keep all business establishments closed on Thursday. The Chamber also counseled its members not to move around in groups due to the imposition of section 144 in the city.
Most of the tempos and autos remained off the road casing some inconveniences to commuters, especially those who arrived in the city from other places by trains and buses. Activists of the upper caste organizations were seen forcibly closing some shops and restaurants but by and large the atmosphere was peaceful.
Taking a cue from the April 2 bandh, the police this time had made elaborate arrangements to make sure that the bandh would not result in any law and order complications. More than 1500 police personnel belonging to the Distract Police Force, SAF, STF and QRT (Quick Response Team) ensured that the bandh passed off peacefully except for some minor incidents in certain pockets.
With 120 police mobile vans patrolling the city and 615 CCTV cameras apart from 4 drones keeping constant watch, the police succeeded in covering every inch of the city. The police, in comparison to the April 2 bandh had a relatively hassle free day except for some stray incidents, mainly in the Hajira area where stone pelting between two groups was reported. According to latest reports the bandh was largely peaceful in the other parts of the district too.