A special court at Mehsana yesterday sentenced 21 people, accused of killing 11 members of a family in Deepda Darwaza area on February 28, 2002, to life imprisonment and handed down one-year jail term to a retired police officer.
According to police, security was beefed up in the areas like Kasba, Navavas, Ghatiya and Deepda Darwaza that wore a deserted look as shops and schools remained closed, however, no untoward incident was reported.
"We deployed adequate police force days before the verdict as a precautionary measure," Mehsana SP J R Mothalia said.
According to locals, the bandh was observed spontaneously in response to the court judgement.
