Shops and other commercial establishment in this pilgrim town remained closed on Tuesday in response to a shutdown call given by the Puri Byabsayee Sangh to protest against the murderous assault on local MlA and law and Tourism and Culture Minister Maheswar Mohanty last week.
Gajanan Agarwal, an office bearer of the traders’ body, told reporters that not a single shop in the holy city was open and its own members had found it difficult to even get gutkhas and paans.
Members of the traders’ organisation took out a procession from the Singhadwar (lion’s Gate) of the Shree Jagannath Temple to protest against the attack on Mohanty and to demand immediate arrest of the culprits.The shutdown put tourists and other visitors in great trouble as even the eating joints remained closed.