Steel City observes total bandh to protest murder of shoe baron

Jamshedpur, Nov 3 (UNI) Life was disrupted here today following the BJP-sponsored dawn-to-dusk bandh to protest the murder of shoe baron Ashish Dey yesterday.

Mr Dey, the owner of the multi-crore leather accessories Sreeleathers, was gunned down by unidentifed criminals, suspected to be extortionists, at a busy street at Sakchi area.

The killing prompted the business community to call a bandh yesterday while the BJP gave the bandh call today follwing a party meeting to demand the dismissal of the Madhu Koda-led UPA government in Jharkhand for its alleged failure to protect the lives of the traders and common people.

The East Singhbhum district units of the Congress and the Lok Jana Shakti Party also supported the bandh.

The bandh, however, turned violent following a clash between the supporters of the BJP-JD(U) and the Congress over the burning of Chief Minister Madhu Koda's effigy by NDA supporters at the Sakchi area.

Some activists of the Congress and the NDA also sustaind minor injuries, police said.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Naveen Kumar Singh and other senior officials rushed to spot and controlled the situation.

No one was arrested in connection with the incident, police said.

Shops at Sakchi, Bistupur, Kadma, Sonari and other areas downed their shutters.

Banks and petrol pumps also remained closed and the roads wore a deserted look as private vehicles did not ply.

BJP supporters took out motorcycle rallies at Bistupur and Sakchi.

They also shouted slogans against the UPA government and burnt tyres in many areas.

Train services at the Tatanagar station were disrupted for a few hours when the bandh supporters squatted on the railway tracks, stopping the Puri-New Delhi Purushottam Express, railway sources said.

Meanwhile, police failed to make any breakthrough in the murder case.

''The investigation has been hampered by the bandh. However, we have got important clues and the culprits will be booked soon,'' the SP said.

UNI