Shimla: The life in the state capital today came to a standstill as a Shimla bandh call given by the BJP to protest the Kotkhai rape and murder case and custodial death of an accused in the police lock-up evoked a massive response.
Shimla: The life in the state capital today came to a standstill as a Shimla bandh call given by the BJP to protest the Kotkhai rape and murder case and custodial death of an accused in the police lock-up evoked a massive response.
Barring a few stray incidents of stone throwing at the police near the Secretariat, breaking the windows of HRTC and private buses at Toland, the protests were peaceful. BJP workers squatted at the Victory Tunnel, blocking the circular road and observed silence to pay homage to the victim.
The entire stretch of the road between Dhalli and Sanjauli was blocked as hundreds of protesters, led by Chopal MLA Balbir Singh Verma and the BJP councillor from Dhalli, marched towards Chhota Shimla. They gheraoed the Secretariat and raised anti-government and anti-police slogans.
Amid rain, the agitators blocked roads at Khalini, Shimla bypass, Totu, Bouleauganj, Ghanati and vehicles were seen stranded at various places. However, the blockade was lifted in less than an hour. The BJP also took out a protest march from the Victory Tunnel via Ram Bazaar and CTO to The Ridge, Chakkar to Totu, Dhalli via Sanjauli to Chhota Shimla and New Shimla to Khalini.
Local BJP MLA Suresh Bhardwaj accused the police and the state government of shielding the real culprits and said the custodial death of an accused, Suraj, had raised serious doubts about their functioning and sought action against erring policemen.
A BJP delegation, led by Suresh Bhardwaj and state BJP vice-president Ganesh Dutt, submitted a memorandum to the Governor demanding imposition of President Rule. The leaders said anarchy prevailed in the state and now the public was out on the road protesting the lawlessness.
Meanwhile, on a call given by the Shimla Nagrik Sabha, hundreds of people gathered at the DC’s office to express solidarity with the victim’s family. The protesters, who were apprehensive about the role of the police in the custodial death, marched towards Raj Bhawan to express anger over the issue.
Meanwhile, the agitators also blocked the Hindustan-Tibet National Highway at Theog, 32 km from here, and protests were also witnessed at Kotkhai. The police were deployed across the district to avoid any untoward situation.
The buses were off roads and parked along the road due to ‘chakka jam’ and some private vehicles were seen plying on the roads. All shops were closed and supply of daily needs commodities was hit causing inconvenience to residents. Office-goers and schoolchildren were the worst hit.
The ABVP which blocked the road at the Police Headquarters accused both state and the Centre of delay in handing over the case to the CBI and demanded that evidence be immediately handed over to the CBI.
