Amritsar: Most shops in the Majha districts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran remained shut on Thursday in support of the Punjab bandh call given to protest Tuesday’s killing of anti-drug activist Parminder Singh Jhota in Mansa.Police maintained a heavy presence to prevent any law-and-order problem.Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) functionary Sarwan Singh Pandher, along with hundreds of supporters, gathered at the Golden Gate early Thursday morning and burnt an effigy of the state govt. Pandher said the effigy symbolised the anger and resentment of Punjab’s people over the state govt’s failure to curb the drug menace. He said the bandh was also aimed at demanding justice for Jhota and demonstrating public support for the cause.Shopkeepers had gathered at marketplaces, but a majority of them was reluctant to open for business.Akali Dal Waris Punjab De functionary Shamsher Singh Padhri said most shopkeepers opened after 5pm, when the bandh ended.Amritsar police commissioner Harmanbir Singh Gill said around 1,500 police personnel had been deployed across the city to monitor the situation and prevent any untoward incident He said people were free to register their protest peacefully but would not be allowed to force shopkeepers to shut their establishments.Punjab Congress working president Raj Kumar Verka censured the BJP-led Centre and the AAP govt in Punjab, saying the state was passing through its worst phase, with parents worried about when their children would break free from the grip of drugs. He alleged that those raising their voices against drug abuse and drug trade in Punjab were being suppressed, and claimed that Jhota had become a victim of the drug mafia.
