Normal life hit in Rajasthan due to bandh

Normal life was disrupted in some parts of Rajasthan today due to a bandh called by the Vishav Hindu Parishad, Bajranj Dal and other Hindu organisations to press for their demands including permission to perform 'puja' at the Maandhta Balaji cenotaph on Tiger Hill in Bundi city.

The bandh was called in Kota, Bundi, Jhalawar and Baran districts of the Hadouti region, police sources said.

The demands include removal of Kota range inspector general Vishal Bansal and Bundi collector Shivandi Swarnkar and to take action against police personnel and officials allegedly involved in lathi charge on the Hindu organisation activists heading to perform 'puja' on the hill top on January 1, Pratap Singh Nagada, providence vice-president of the VHP, said.
 

The emergency and road transport services, including the medical and health, remained operational, the sources said.

People of minority section in Mukeri Mohalla in Jhalrapatan town of Jhalawar district submitted a memorandum to the officials concerned and circle in-charge of the police station, alleging unidentified people of a group of thrashing women and creating ruckus in the area by raising slogans, the police sources said.

"An investigation into the complaint by the people from Mukeri Mohalla is underway and no action in this regard has been taken," CI, Jhalrapatan police station, Heera Lal Saini said.

Minor incidents of face-off between the activists and police were reported from Chawani, Anantpura, Bhemjangmandi, Vigyannagar areas of Kota city, Mukeri Mohalla in Jhalrapatan town of Jhalawar district and from Chogan Gate area of Bundi city, they said.

The trade and market organisations of the region have voluntarily extended support to the bandh without any pressure or appeal, he added.

IG Bansal did not respond to the calls for his comment on the bandh in Hadouti.

Heavy police force across the region was deployed to keep a watch over the situation and to check any untoward incident, the official said.