Bharuch brews trouble in partial Gujarat bandh

Barring sporadic incidents of violence in Bharuch town of south Gujarat, the bandh called today to protest US Baptist Minister Jerry Falwell...

Barring sporadic incidents of violence in Bharuch town of south Gujarat, the bandh called today to protest US Baptist Minister Jerry Falwell’s blasphemous remarks against prophet Mohammed evoked a spontaneous response in Muslim strongholds in the city though normal life was not affected elsewhere.

In Bharuch town, some bandh supporters forced shopkeepers to down shutters, prompting police to resort to lathi charge, in which at least four people were injured, sources in the district police said.

Police burst teargas shells to disperse the mob, which broke glass-panes of a three-wheeler. They also stormed into a petrol pump and ran away with about Rs 22,000 cash, police said.

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Police sources at Gandhinagar said the bandh call evoked partial response in Muslim pockets in Vijapur and Gayatri Chowk in Mehsana district and Petlad and Khambad under Anand district. In Ahmedabad, normal life was not affected though shops and business establishments in Gomtipur, Juhapura, Jamalpur, Astodia, Delhi Darwaja and Shah-e-Alam remained closed.

The bandh was successful in minority-dominated areas, despite the All Gujarat Muslim Federation (AGMF), city’s umbrella body for the community, appealing to members not to participate in the protest.

Meanwhile, at least three persons have been arrested in Modasa town of Sabarkantha district, which witnessed violence yesterday when a procession took to the streets to protest remarks on the prophet, sources added.

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