Complete bandh observed in market area, arterial roads

Defying prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) imposed on the entire district for three days, thousands of people took to the streets protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the Union government’s decision to extend National Register of Citizens (NRC) to the entire country.

Organised under the banner of People’s Forum, people in huge number gathered at Nagareshwara School at Gunj area in the city to take out a procession to the district administrative complex in the morning. In a bid to prevent the agitating people from marching, the police initially arrested around 100 leaders including Nasir Hussein Ustad, Waaz Baba, Asgar Chulbul and Maruti Manpade. However, the protesting people did not allow the police vehicles filled with detained leaders to move from the spot. As more and more people gathered and the area turned to be a sea of people, police had to release the detained leaders within a few minutes, apparently to avoid further altercation and clash with the angry mob.

The people’s march then began to move from the area towards the district administrative complex. The entire market area was literally filled with people who were waving banners, holding black flags and raising slogans against the BJP-led Union government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amith Shah.

Though heavy police personnel were deployed and Deputy Superintendent of Police Kishore Babu led the force, nothing could prevent the mob from marching.

Though other parts of the city, particularly the outskirts, remained almost normal, the main business area of the market and the arterial roads in the heart of the city observed complete bandh. Shops, trading units, shopping malls and other business outlets remained closed in the market area, Jagat Road, SVP Circle, Jagat Circle and other areas in the city. However, the police were found announcing the imposition of prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC using loud speakers in other parts of the city to prevent the spread of protests.

There were decentralised agitations from different organisations and individuals across the city. Social Democratic Party of India, Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha, Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) and various factions of Dalit Sangharsh Samiti staged demonstrations at various points.