Highway blocked in Jalandhar as Dalit community protests vandalisation of Ambedkar statue

Jalandhar: The Jalandhar-Ludhiana national highway near the Jalandhar bypass was blocked today following a bandh call by the Dalit community over the vandalisation of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar’s statue in Amritsar on January 26.

A large number of protesters gathered at the site, leading to significant disruptions. The bandh also affected Ludhiana, where major markets, including Chaura Bazar, Bhadaur House, Railway Road, Mata Rani Chowk, and Ghanta Ghar Chowk, remained closed as shopkeepers shut their establishments in solidarity.

The highway blockade left many pedestrians stranded and caused long queues of vehicles. Police officials attempted to negotiate with the protesters, but they refused to disperse, determined to make the bandh a success.