Responding to the call by the Opposition parties to condemn rise in prices of petroleum products, a majority of shops and business establishments in the district downed their shutters during the 12-hour dawn-to-dusk bandh on Monday. While the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) operated bus services, schools functioned as usual and TASMAC-run IMFL retail outlets in the city and suburbs reported brisk sales.
Shops and petrol/diesel pumps in Melur, Tirumangalam and Usilampatti had also downed their shutters. The otherwise busy bazaar areas wore a deserted look. Despite the presence of a large posse of police personnel, posted for security, shopkeepers stayed away from doing business.
Many merchants in Melur bus stand said that their associations had convened a meeting on Sunday and appealed for downing shutters in total. At a time when the rise in price of petrol was bound to escalate prices of many essential commodities in the ensuing months, the announcement that diesel price would also go up was bad news, they said.
In Tirumangalam
There were tense moments in Tirumangalam bazaar area when about 200 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam cadres reportedly urged the shopkeepers to down shutters even as an equal number of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam cadres reached the spot to ensure that the shops remained open.
The tension escalate d when the political rivals pelted stones at each other. Police chased them but in the melee about five TNSTC buses were damaged.
Superintendent of Police M. Manohar and his team rushed to the spot and prevented the trouble from spiralling further. About 200 persons were rounded up.
A senior police officer said that Nagarajan, an AIADMK functionary, was injured in the stone throwing incident.
Shops and eateries on the usually busy Usilampatti Road remained closed since morning.
The liquor shops reported brisk sales in Melur, Tirumangalam and Madurai right from the morning.
Buses damaged
TNSTC operated normal bus services in the city. But two buses were damaged by miscreants at Palanganatham at about 4 p.m. Commissioner of Police P. Balasubramanian said that there were no untoward incidents in the city, but for some minor scuffle in some areas. Tight vigil on vantage points since 6 a.m. ensured maintenance of law and order. All the arrested persons, including Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA N. Nanmaran were released in the evening.
Led by State general secretary S. Nagarajan and State executive committee member Sasiraman, Bharatiya Janata Party members resorted to a road blockade near South Gate in the city.
They said that the bandh was a success. Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's Labour Wing leader Mahaboob John said that the good response to the bandh reflected the discontent among the public towards the Centre and State government.
