Bhopal, July 3: Tension gripped parts of communally sensitive old City area of Bhopal during the 'Bharat Bandh' call given by the state's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

About a dozen people were injured in group clashes and after police restored to lathicharge to disperse the violators of peace.

Tension erupted when activists of Hindu organisations forcibly tried to close down business establishments in support of their bandh.

The bandh call was given to protest the Jammu and Kashmir government's decision to cancel the allotment of forest land to the Amarnath Shrine Board.

The violent incidents begun from Lakshmi Talkies after activists of Hindu organisations reached there and forcibly tried to close down the shops opened in the area.

However, members of one community argued and opposed the manner in which Hindu activists were forcing to close down their shops and business establishments.

Soon, clashes between Hindu activists and members of one particular community erupted. The clashes become violent and one scooter was turned to ashes.

The district Collector and Superintendent of Police who came to take stock of the situation had to face people's anger. Even stones were thrown on their vehicle.

According to some unconfirmed reports about one-dozen people were hurt in the stone pelting and related violence incidence, with no serious injuries being reported.

Soon activists of Hindu organisations spread to other sensitive areas of Bhopal and forcibly tried to close down opened tea stalls, restaurants and other essential commodity business establishments in Bhopal Talkies, Bal Vihar, Hamidia Road and Kazi Camp areas. The act resorted to violence.

The news of violence incidence which begun in Lakshmi Talkies soon spread to Bhopal Talkies, Hamidia Road, Sabji Mandi and Sindhi Colony areas.

In Bhopal Talkies area, unidentified miscreants pelted stones from a rooftop. A stone hit VHP leader (Dilip Khandelwal while who was talking to media persons). Soon, VHP activists went wild and begun targeting public transport and other establishments. The situation was brought under control after Rapid Action Force and heavy district police personnel were deployed.

"The incident took place at around 1.30 pm when a stone hit one local leader. Soon undirected crowd threw stones at them from the rooftops of their houses, triggering minor communal clashes. The situation was brought under control after Rapid Action Force (RAF) and district police personnel were deployed to control the situation", said Superintendent of Police, Jaideep Prasad to Central Chronicle.

"The stone pelting incident is a result of undirected crowd", said Manish Rastogi, Collector Bhopal.

As a result of the stone pelting incident, the busy Bhopal Talkies Chauraha was seen covered with bricks and stones. The district administration took help of Bhopal Municipal Corporation to lift the stones and pieces of bricks spread in the 80 metre radius of Bhopal Talkies Chouraha (otherwise a busy traffic junction).

Meanwhile, the activists of Hindu organisations restored to chakkajam in old Bus Stand area and Bhopal Talkies. The Police forcibly evacuated the activists and sealed off the Bhopal Talkies area by putting up road closure barricades at old Bus Stand, Lakshmi Talkies, Model Ground and Sindhi Colony Chauraha.

Bandh in New Bhopal area

The early half of the bandh call in the parts of New Bhopal area failed to get any response. Heavy traffic of office goers and others was witnessed in both the Link Road No. 1 and Link Road No. 2. Besides shops of essential commodities, many other shops and business establishments were found opened.

But with the day rising, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists forced shop keepers and other business establishments to close them in support of the bandh call or face the ire.

With no choice left, shopkeepers and others kept their shutters down. Not a single incidence of violence was reported from new Bhopal area.

Lathi charge in four places

Police restored to lathi charge in Nav Bahar Sabji Mandi Area, Lakshmi Talkies, Bhopal Talkies and Hamidia Road to disrupt the clashes taking place between the activists of Hindu organizations and locals. About over a dozen people were injured in the group clashes, which also includes some police personnel and media persons.

Schools remained closed

All educational establishments, Universities and Institutes remained closed following the bandh call.

No place for violence in democratic set up: Jamuna

By Our Staff Reporter

Bhopal, July 3: Leader of the opposition in the State Assembly, Jamuna Devi expressed resentment over the untoward incidents occurred in some cities of Madhya Pradesh during the nation wide bandh called by Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday.

In her press statement she said that in a way Bharatiya Janata Party workers reacted during the bandh the state Governor should take necessary action against the ruling party. She said that there is no place for violence in a democratic country like ours. She blamed that this is a conspiracy to disrupt peaceful atmosphere of the state by the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders.

She appealed to the Governor to dissolve the Bharatiya Janata Party Government in the state. She said that only President Rule can save the state from this government which is busy in fanning communal atmosphere in the state.

BJP and its allies have taken the law in their own hands. The police administration was remained spectators, she said and added that the party already standing on the foundation of communalism. She said that recently elections have been announced by the Centre and the BJP is trying to encash these elections on the patron of Gujarat government.

She blamed Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for surrendering in front of Sangh, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal. In her statement she have asked that why the BJP goons roam on the roads with arms and ammunition freely in front of police administration.

Masood flays violence during bandh

The president of Minorities United Organisation Arif Masood had flayed Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bhartiya Janta Party for violence during bandh. In his statement he said that innocent road going people were made target by the workers of these parties on Thursday nation wide bandh.

Appeal for peace

The district general secretary Youth Congress Usman Hamid and secretary Shahab Ali Khan in joint statement expressed their enguish over violence during nation wide bandh in Bhopal on Thursday.

In their joint statement they said Bharatiya Janata Party workers forcefully compelled shop keepers to close their business establishments. They have appealed the people to maintain peace and keep patience for peaceful atmosphere.