Bandh in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala to protest Pahalgam terror attack

Commercial businesses and educational institutions in Punjab's Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala districts stayed closed on Thursday in protest of Tuesday's terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 people, the majority of them were tourists. Most shops and traders in Hoshiarpur district went on strike in response to a demand by Hindu organisations.

Members of Hindu groups marched in Hoshiarpur, led by Mohan Lal 'Lucky' Thakur, state secretary of the Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena, through various local markets. Protesters chanted slogans against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and cross-border violence, urging shopkeepers to close in solidarity.

They also demanded a robust response from the Centre to the deaths in Pahalgam. Later, members of some Sikh organisations joined the protest. In response to the bandh call, a holiday was declared in all district educational institutions. The bandh was quiet, with no adverse incidents reported.