Srinagar: Life in Jammu region was thrown out of gear on Thursday following a ‘bandh’ being observed to protest over alleged police high-handedness on outstation students at NIT in Srinagar.
The region faced a shut down called by various groups, including Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) to protest against the cane-charge on outstation students by the police on April 5.
The Jammu Province People’s Forum (JPPF), Sri Ram Sene and various student organisations had extended their support to one-day Jammu bandh call. The Bar Association of Jammu (BAJ) also decided to suspend work in all the courts across the region. “Yesterday we held a meeting and decided to suspend work in all the courts across Jammu region. Though we are yet to extend our support for the strike but the BAJ has suspended work in all courts across the region to protest against police brutality on the students,” BAJ president Abhinav Sharma said.
The lawyers also held a protest outside the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, demanding action against the police officials for allegedly manhandling the outstation students of the institute. Several student organisations took to the streets and blocked the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway at Bikram Chowk. A heavy contingent of police was deployed at several places across the region to maintain law and order.
While schools and other educational institutions remained closed, the attendance at government and private offices remained thin.