The Hindu : National : J&K government emporium attacked

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National

J&K government emporium attacked

Special Correspondent

— Photo: Vivek Bendre

ART NOT SPARED: Alleged Bajrang Dal activists ransacking the Kashmir Arts Emporium in South Mumbai on Thursday.

MUMBAI: Miscreants attacked the Jammu and Kashmir government Emporium here on Thursday to enforce a bandh called by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in protest against the Ghulam Nabi Azad government’s decision to revoke allocation of land to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board.

The right wing activists, raising slogans against the J&K government, poured into the Emporium at the busy Sir P.M. Road in Fort area and damaged the art goods on sale.

Sensing more trouble, the police were deployed in strength at the showroom. A case was registered.

VHP and BJP activists disrupted traffic at Santacruz, Vile Parle, Borivali, Thakurdwar and Vakola here. They forced closure of shops at several places in the city and suburbs.

In Girgaon locality of South Mumbai, BJP general secretary Gopinath Munde was among the protesters who disrupted traffic. The police arrested 45 workers including Mr. Munde.

“The bandh was successful and we got a good response despite one day’s notice,” said State VHP secretary Venkatesh Abdeo. However, he denied that the VHP-Bajrang Dal activists were involved in the attack on the Kashmir Emporium. About 2000 workers were arrested in the State.

In adjacent Thane city, the activists disrupted traffic at several places and forced shops’ closure.

Police sources said three activists were arrested in Naupada and Wagle Estate during the protests.

The response to the bandh call was mixed in other cities and towns. Protestors threw stones in Kalyan, Dombivili and other towns of Thane district. In Pune, several schools remained closed. The city buses were withdrawn from different routes in Nagpur city after stoning.

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