Opposition bandh gets mixed response in districts

According to sources, over 70 per cent of shops and commercial establishments downed shutters in Coimbatore, Tirupur and Salem districts. However, there was little response to bandh call in Namakkal and Erode districts, where businesses went on as usual.

In Coimbatore, most of the shops, bakeries and hotels in commercial spots like Gandhipuram, Town Hall, Ukkadam, RS Puram, Peelamedu and Singanallur remained shut for the day. Buses plied as usual and barring a few taxis and autos affiliated to some unions, others ran normally in the district.

Over 250 DMK workers were arrested for staging demonstrations in various places of the district. Meanwhile, farmers staged a walkout from the grievance meeting at Collector office in support of anti-Sterlite protests. Also, a group of transgenders staged a protest in front of the Collector office.

In Tirupur, most of shops, textile units and industries downed shutters. Textile units and industrial sector were estimated to have suffered a loss of over Rs 100 crore due to strike, sources added.

In Salem, traders downed shutters in places like Sevvapet and Lee Bazaar areas. In Namakkal and Erode districts, barring a few shops, most of them remained open.

The traders in Gobichettipalayam said that they did not receive any information regarding the closure from the trader’s body and continued their regular business.

Hundreds of DMK workers, who staged a demonstration condemning the police shootout were arrested by police in all the Western districts. With high security in place, the day passed off peacefully without any major untoward incident.

The bandh had a minimal impact in Central districts. Though the regular life was not affected in Tiruchy city, the busy Gandhi market was closed with the load men leading the protest.

However, the rural Tiruchy witnessed about 20 per cent of the shops were shut. As many as DMK 128 cadre, who attempted to block the Gandhi Market Road were arrested. Meanwhile in Pudukkottai, as many as 147 DMK cadre, including two MLAs, were arrested for staging protest near Kantharvakottai.

Similarly, in Thanjavur 560 persons were arrested while staging protest in 15 spots. While 1,500 advocates practising in Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Pattukkottai, Orathanadu, Tiruvaiyaru, Papanasam courts boycotted work in protest.