Thursday, July 7 2005 16:05 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: A few incidents of sporadic violence were reported from Vidarbha region today (July 7, 2005) even as the Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP) sponsored Maharashtra bandh against the terrorist attack at Ayodhya evoked lukewarm response in other parts of the state.

In Nagpur city, a few miscreants allegedly tried to set ablaze the cushioned seats of a bus while others smashed windscreen of two other buses in the city, police said.

Several schools and colleges remained closed due to non-availability of school transport system, sources said.

Major business establishments remained closed as VHP and Bajrang Dal activists forced the owners to down shutters in eastern and southern parts of the city. But shops in Sitabuldi and Gokulpeth areas were open, sources said.

In Nagpur district, shops were closed and a few vehicular traffic was plying on the road.

About 15 persons were detained in Kamptee near Nagpur, for forcing shopkeepers to down shutters, police said. In Bhandara also some protestors attacked a State transport bus.

In Wardha, Bharat Janata Party (BJP) set an effigy of a terrorist afire activists led by BJP MP Suresh Waghmare, police said.

In Pune, shops and business establishments remained open and vehicular traffic was plying as usual, police said. But, VHP sources claimed that business centres were closed.

Industrialists and a few institutions have exempted Mumbai from the purview of the bandh in view of the request.

In Nasik, commercial establishments, schools, colleges remained open and vehicular traffic was also not affected, police said.