PATIALA: Following a call from certain militant organisations, All India Sikh Student Federation and Desh Punjab Students Union, a near total bandh was observed here last week in protest against the killing of Bhai Nirmal Singh Nimma, a top militant, at Punjab University campus on
While most shops in the main shopping and commercial centers of Dharam pura Bazar, Adalat Bazar, Quila Chowk, SherePunjab Market, Sheranwala Gate, Lower Mall, Ragho Majra, Leela Bhavan Market, the 22 number phatak market complex, Man Sarover Market and the adjoining areas remained closed, only a few shops in Arya Samaj Chowk remained open. First time in the memory of Patiala, almost all shops in Gur Mandi, Lahori Gate and the adjoining Hindu dominated areas were closed on the call of a militant organisation and the SSF.
Buses, both government owned and private ones, remained off the road. Most educational institutions were closed.
The students of Punjabi University bolted the main gate of the campus for more than two hours and did not allow the staff to enter the campus.
In view of the Patiala bandh, an emergency meeting of the District Bar Association was held and it was decided to abstain from attending the courts,
The president of the All India Hindu Students Federation, Mr Manoj Kumar, claimed that activists of the Hindu shiv Sena and the federation prevented the shopkeepers in Arya Samaj Chowk, Lahori Gate, Book Market, Arna Barna Chowk, Sirhindi Bazar and Jaurian Bhattian to close their shops, which later functioned normally.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 21, 1990
