Most cities of Madhya Pradesh witnessed almost total closure of shops, business establishments, educational institutions and public transport services during the nationwide bandh on Thursday called by around 35 organisations of upper castes and OBCs in protest against the Narendra Modi government overruling the Supreme Court verdict on the SC/ST Act.
According to police authorities, the bandh remained mostly peaceful across the state. However, in Bhind district, protesters pelted stones on a police vehicle when the police tried to stop them from gathering on the national highway number 92 to create a roadblock.
Police said the son of ruling BJP MLA Narendra Singh Kushwaha, Pushpendra Singh, has been arrested in connection with the incident.
Bandh supporters also clashed with the police in the Gandhi Chowk area of Shahdol district. Police had to resort to cane charging to disperse the protesters. Another report of a clash between demonstrators and police came from the Aaron area of Guna district.
In the Ashok Nagar district, several bandh supporters laid down on the railway tracks in an attempt to disrupt movement of trains.
As a precautionary measure, Section 144 had already been imposed in 10 areas of Gwalior, Bhind, Morena Datia and Shivpuri districts where the protests on the issue have been most widespread in the state.
The district administration in Jabalpur district also enforced a 24-hour ban on all internet services to prevent anti-social elements from spreading volatile rumours.
Most shops, business establishments and markets in the state capital Bhopal also remained closed during the bandh.