Raipur, Aug 18 (IANS): The protests in support of anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare got a fillip in Chhattisgarh Thursday as traders, lawyers and even engineering and medical students joined rallies and candlelight marches.

Civil society members and others are holding protests mainly in Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, Jagdalpur, Ambikapur besides the industrial towns of Korba, Raigarh and Bhilai since Tuesday morning when Hazare was taken into detention barely hours before he was to begin his fast for a strong Lokpal bill.

"It's the duty of every citizen to rally behind Anna to help India get over the culture of corruption," Anusha, a junior medical student here, told IANS while participating in a candlelight march.

The Chhattisgarh Chamber of Commerce and Industries, the state's industrial forum, announced its support the Hazare movement.

It announced a candlelight march Thursday in all 18 districts followed by a sit-in at Raipur's Budha Talab area Friday, the venue where about a thousand Hazare supporters have been holding peaceful protests since the activist's arrest Tuesday.

Reports coming in from various districts said that district court lawyers have been holding 'peace march' in Hazare's support.