Complete bandh in Jammu for fourth day; violence reported

The Jammu bandh, in its fourth day, today witnessed clashes between the police and protestors at several places, where the police had to resort to cane charging on the protestors who indulged in stone pelting.

"There were few incidents of stone pelting on the police and we also had to use mild force to quell the protestors," a police officer said.

The AIIMS Coordination Committee, an amalgam of over 70 social, religious, political and business organisations, last evening extended the Jammu bandh by another 72 hours.

The ACC had earlier called for 72 hours complete Jammu bandh from July 31 to August 2; it further extended the strike call by another 72 hours when the earlier deadline finished last evening.

The ACC has been spearheading the agitation for the establishment of a full-fledged All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Jammu. They have been accusing the BJP-PDP coalition of shifting the proposed AIIMS sanctioned for Jammu to Kashmir.

"Several of our activists including lawyers and transporters have been taken into custody by the police," Zorawar Singh, a spokesman of ACC said.

He said that the rallies conducted by ACC have been peaceful but still the police resorted to use of force to quell the protestors at several places.

"Our protest has so far been by and large peaceful, but we got reports that police used force on our protestors at several places," he said.