Bandh peaceful throughout State

Cadre of various parties staged protests in different locations and DMK leaders, M K Stalin and Kanimozhi were among several leaders detained for staging protests during the dawn to dusk bandh. Agitations, besiege protests and road blockades marked the day in the delta districts. Around 10,000 members of various parties and farmers associations were arrested across the region, while MDMK leader Vaiko courted arrest in Tiruchy. 

The bandh evoked an overwhelming response in southern districts on Friday. Even vehicular movement was minimal in places like Madurai, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi. At Madurai there was delay in operating TNSTC buses and hence in the morning share autos came to the rescue of people. Tourists in Madurai were affected as all the hotels, except few coffee shops, remained shut. Similarly, normal life was hit in western districts like Coimbatore, Tirupur Erode and the Nilgiris. The Erode turmeric market suspended all its trading activities.

Schools divided: There was a mixed response from private schools to the bandh call on Friday while some declared a holiday, others functioned as usual. Dr N Vijayan, correspondent of Zion group of schools, said that most of the students were present in the school on Friday. “Since the school education department issues a common question paper at the district level, it would be difficult for us to conduct postpone the Friday’s exam. So the exam was conducted on Friday. Teaching and non-teaching staff in our school wore black badge to register their protest,” he said.  Buses plied as usual in Chennai on Friday, but there was not much crowd. “We operated all the MTC buses, but the number of passengers was comparatively less than the normal days,” said an official. Similarly, services on mofussil routes were also operated as usual. “Both TNSTC and SETC buses plied normal. But, buses to Karnataka were operated only up to the border,” said another official.