Bharat Bandh: Hooligans rule the roost, put lives at ransom

Life in Jaipur was completely shattered on Monday as Bharat Bandh rally disrupted normalcy across the town. Shops were forced shut in various places as mobs armed with batons threatened shop owners. Traffic jams occurred in important areas of the city while the mob even damaged vehicles and misbehaved with general population including elders. There were even cases where young girls and ladies were molested. Even the police gave advisory to stay indoors.

A huge mob assembled at Ambedkar circle also and special police arrangements were made that stopped the men from moving ahead. While the police was handling situation at Ambedkar circle, group of men veered off towards the state assembly and caused major damage to several vehicles parked in the residential area as well as in government buildings. As a result the Rapid Action Force was called in and two companies were deployed in the area while nine arrests were also made.

The rally blocked Tonk road area which caused a huge traffic jam. As the rally moved furthe on the JLN marg, traffic woes continued as several men armed with batons charged at generalpublic. Mob harassed shop owners at Mahesh Nagar as they threw items out of shops while also forcing them shut. In some places miscreants forced the shop owners to close the shops and clashes between shop owners and mob were witnessed at some places.

Meanwhile, a huge jam occurred at VKI area also due to the rally. Several men moved towards the Rambagh circle and damaged the vehicles while hundreds of youths from the rally stopped oputside the Rajasthan University and created ruckus.

In the walled city area, rally was taken out from Chandpol to Ramganj chauraha wherein the markets remained closed. However as the rally moved ahead, shop owners opened their shops for business. At few places, the mob even caused damage to the shops as they pelted stones at glass and door of a few shops against which shopowners came forward.

Mob even stopped a train at Tonk Phatak. At Vaishali Nagar, a few dozen youths tried to create a ruckus and caused damage to a vehicle. However locals braved these men forcing them to flee the area.

Several members from the mob even tried to enter into the High Court. But before any untoward situation could develop, the armed guards at the High Court thwarted their move. Later RAC and STF companies were posted at the High Court for security purposes.

Mob even pelted stones at buildings and vehicles at Gopalpura causing major damages to some bhuildings. The mob pelted stones at a low floor bus at Tonk Phatak. Meanwhile the mob even caused traffic jam at Collectorate circle. Moreover, mob armed with batons and metal rods damaged three more buses at Tonk road near Police Head Quarters.