72-hour shutdown begins against Vaishno Devi ropeway project; protesters detained

A CLASH BROKE OUT BETWEEN TWO SIDES WHEN THE POLICE STOPPED THE PROTESTORS

- Press Trust of India

REASI/JAMMU: Several people were detained by police during a protest in Katra, the base camp of the Mata Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu and Kashmir, as demands to shelve the proposed ropeway project intensified with the town observing a 72-hour shutdown from Wednesday.

The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangarsh Samiti called for the bandh and said that all activities in Katra would remain suspended during the protest.

Scores of people led by Samiti leaders Bhupinder Singh and Sohan Chand took out a protest march in the town, raising slogans against the Shrine Board and the administration, accusing them of adopting a stubborn attitude.

However, when police personnel stopped the protesters from advancing, clashes broke out between the two sides.