BJP bandh evokes partial response in TN, marks violence

Chennai, May 2 (UNI) The Bharat bandh called by the BJP in protest against the rising prices of essential commodities, evoked a partial response in Tamil Nadu, but was marked by sporadic incidents of violence.

Police sources told UNI that nearly 50 State-owned buses were damaged in stone throwing incidents in Kanniyakumari and Coimbatore.

About 1,000 BJP workers, including women activists, were arrested across the State on charges with picketing, staging demonstrations, forcing the shopkeepers to down the shutters and for forming human chain.

More than 350 people were arrested for picketing, 175 for forcibly closing the shops, 300 for staging demonstration, besides some of them were taken into preventive custody.

The bandh evoked partial response in some areas in Kanniyakumari and Coimbatore districts, while normal life remained unaffected in other parts of the State.

A report from Kanniyakumari said violence broke out in Thakkalai, Kalikavellai and Kulasegaram areas, when miscreants stoned buses, damaging the windscreens. Shops in these areas remained closed.

However, BJP State President L Ganesan claimed that the bandh was near total in Kanniyakumari, Coimbatore and Nilgiris districts.

Talking to UNI, he said the bandh also had some impact in other districts like Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, Dharmapuri, Erode, Virudhunagar, Mayiladuthurai and Vellore.

(ED : PICK UP SUITABLY FROM EARLIER SERIES).

UNI GV GKT RL PM1732