Bharat bandh evokes mix response in UP with no untoward incident

Lucknow, Jul 3 (UNI) The dawn-to-dusk,BJP supported and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)-sponsored ''Bharat Bandh'' in protest of cancellation of land transfer order to the Sri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) in Jammu and Kashmir evoked mixed response in Uttar Pradesh today.

Altogether over 200 people were detained by police in several parts of the state during the bandh period for trying to block roads and rail services.

Train services remained suspended for few hours in Agra, Mugalsarai, Allahabad and Kanpur as the bandh supporters squatted on the rail tracks.

In the state capital, bandh activists torched a city bus and damaged several others near the Shahid Smarak.

Most of the markets and business establishments also remained closed in most of the big cities in the state, but schools and offices functioned normal.

State Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Bhanu Pratap Singh told mediapersons here that there was not a single report of any major incident during the bandh. BJP MLA from Lucknow Suresh Tiwari along with his 55 supporters were arrested in the state capital.

Meanwhile, reports from Varanasi, Kanpur, Allahabad and, Agra said the bandh witnessed mixed response.

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