Tamil Nadu bandh: Most shops remain closed.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Protesters damaged several buses in the state
• The bandh affected train services in some places

Back to bandh

Several police personnel were deployed on the Kamarajar Salai as there were rumours that students and youngsters were planning stage a protest there.

Protesters blocked main roads in all other cities and towns -- including Coimbatore, Trichy, Madurai, Salem, Tirunelveli and Thanjavur -- and courted arrest.

CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan and party cadre blocked trains at Park Station in Chennai. There are reports of farmers and Left party members blocking trains in various parts of the state.

Bus services were being operated, but not to the full extent. Protesters damaged MTC buses in Chennai. Government buses and a private bus were pelted with stones in Vellore and Tiruvallur districts.

A damaged MTC bus in Chennai 

About 30%-40% of private buses were not operated in Trichy while 80% shops remained closed.

“Around 147 city buses and 153 mofussil private buses ply out of Trichy every day. Though we are not part of the protest, fearing backlash, around 30% of private buses were not operated,” D R Dharmarajan, secretary, Federation of Bus Operators Association of Tamil Nadu. Police personnel were deployed in TNSTC depots to ensure smooth movement of fleets.

The bandh was near total in the Union territory of Puducherry.