Jammu, May 5 (IANS): A protest strike called by the Jammu Bar Association passed off peacefully Monday barring a few incidents of stone pelting in the city, officials said.
Educational institutions, public transport, shops and other businesses remained closed although government offices, banks and post offices functioned normally.
Some public transport, however, operated.
Scores of pilgrims from various parts of the country intending to visit the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in nearby Katra town faced problems as they could not reach the shrine because of non-availability of public transport.
Lawyers stayed away from courts and took to the streets demanding suspension of the station house officer (SHO) of Gandhi Nagar who had allegedly manhandled a lawyer a fortnight back.
Police said the lawyers also torched tyres on the roads to obstruct traffic.
"Some incidents of stone pelting by protesters also occurred in the city, but the bandh call given by the Jammu Bar Association passed off peacefully," a senior police officer told IANS.
The bandh call was supported by the Jammu chamber of commerce and the Bharatiya Janata Party. The local students' organisation also supported the bandh.
Police said a complaint has been lodged against protesters who smashed vehicles during the strike.