Fuel price hike: Bandh in Nashik, 3 hurt in stone pelting

A large number of commercial establishments, shops and restaurants downed shutters today in response to a bandh called by the Shiv Sena to protest hike in fuel rates and also rising prices of essential commodities.

Most of auto-rickshaws and taxis remained off the roads in the city during the shutdown which was marred by stray incidents of violence in which three persons, including two women, were injured.

The women, travelling in a bus, were injured when Sena activists pelted the vehicle with stones at Shalimar Chowk. The bus driver was also injured, police sources said.

The activists damaged seven to eight buses of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) at several localities, leading to suspension of services on various routes, MSRTC sources said.

Police rounded up several Sena activists and leaders, including the party's District unit chief Sunil Bagul and city president Arjun Tile.

Thin attendance was reported in schools and colleges and office-goers faced hard time reaching their destinations.

Tile said the people were already reeling under high prices of essential commodities and the recent hike in LPG cylinders and other petroleum products have further made life difficult for the common man.