Wednesday, July 6 2005 12:11 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ayodhya: Security has been beefed up in the twin towns of Faizabad and Ayodhya in the wake of BJP-VHP bandh against the terrorist attack on Ram Janam bhoomi complex even as normalcy prevailed and no run toward incident was reported from the district today (July 6, 2005), official sources said here (Ayodhya).

The bandh evoked mixed response as shops and business establishments' remained but majority of schools and colleges, Government offices, banks were open although attendance was thin, sources said.

The influx of devotees to various temples remained unaffected and a large number of people paid obeisance at important temples this morning.

'Darshan' at the makeshift 'Ram Lalla' temple, which had been stopped yesterday (July 5, 2005) afternoon in the wake of the attack, was resumed this morning and a large queue of devotees was witnessed at the main entrance point.

The barricade, which had collapsed after the terrorists triggered a blast in their vehicle, has been re-erected and additional security forces deployed in and around the complex, sources said.

A high degree of alert is being maintained and security at sensitive places in the two towns has also been strengthened, they said.

VHP activists were seen roaming in the narrow lanes of Ayodhya forcing shopkeepers to down their shutters.

In MP BJP, VHP workers stop aircraft

Indore: The activists of BJP and VHP today (July 6, 2005) stopped an aircraft at the airport here (Indore) and prevented it from proceeding to Mumbai, as part of the saffron-sponsored bandh to protest the militant strike at Ayodhya, police said.

The incident occurred when the Indore-Mumbai-Indore Jet Airways flight arrived here as scheduled from Mumbai and the saffron workers barged into the airport premises by damaging the VIP lounge, police said.

Later, police intervened and forced the BJP-VHP workers out of the airport.

Indore Collector Vivek Agrawal told PTI that the airport has been cleared and the flight was ready to take-off.

In another incident, the saffron workers stopped the trains near Indore railway station as part of their protest, the sources said.

Normal life partially affected in Jharkhand bandh

Ranchi: Normal life in Jharkhand was partially affected in the dawn-to-dusk bandh called by BJP to protest the attack in the Ram Janambhoomi complex at Ayodhya.

Most of the educational institutes, shops and petrol pumps remained closed even as security was beefed up at strategic and sensitive points and patrolling intensified in lanes and by-lanes.

However, vehicular traffic was normal on the main thoroughfares despite the bandh supporters squatting on the roads at several places and taking out processions.

There was no reports of untoward incident from anywhere in the state.

Train services were disrupted since morning today (July 6, 2005) as hundreds of activists of the party and Shiv Sena squatted on the train tracks at Tatanagar station.