'Bandh' call in Mangalore

The 'unofficial' bandh call given by Christian organizations on Monday brought the city to a standstill after 11.a.m.

The situation is likely to be the same on Tuesday. Section 144, which was clamped in Mangalore taluk will now be extended for two more days. Schools and colleges will remain closed on Tuesday as a precautionary measure. From the looks of it, normal life too is paralysed due to the bandh call.

Though some buses plied in the morning, stone-pelting incidents caused private buses to withdraw services. Most business establishments in the city had to close, with no customers due to the halt in bus service. Passengers who came from outside had a torrid time as those were only a handful of autorickshaws plying in the city.

Police had beefed up security at most places, but it fell short after incidents of sporadic violence were reported from parts of the taluk. Most schools and colleges remained shut on Monday. Christain institutions as a mark of protest. Others due to non-availability of transport.