Normal life came to a standstill on Saturday in the capital city. Most shops, schools and colleges were closed to protest the rape and murder of a six-year-old girl in Doranda.
Many protesters hit the roads, wielding lathis and swords, to vent their ire against the ghastly incident, seeking arrest and death sentence for the rapists. They stopped autorickshaws and even threatened them for not complying with the diktat. Called by several Muslim organisations, the shutdown was supported by almost all parties.
Nonetheless, City SP Manoj Ratan Chauthe said, “The bandh was peaceful, without any untoward incident.” The agitation was accentuated when protesters prevented Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh from going to the airport.