कटरा बंद RESAI: Katra, the base camp for the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage in Jammu and Kashmir, remained shut for the fifth consecutive day on Sunday in protest against a proposed ropeway project in the Trikuta hills, with BJP MLA Baldev Raj Sharma threatening to sit on a hunger strike if those detained are not released within 24 hours. Meanwhile, five men continue to sit on a hunger strike, demanding the release of those detained by police during earlier demonstrations in the holy town. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti , which has called for the shutdown, announced that all activities in Katra would remain suspended during the bandh.
Shops, restaurants and business establishments remained closed for the fifth day in Katra, and traffic was off the roads following the samiti's call for the protest. The bandh, which began on Wednesday, has disrupted normal life in the busy town of Katra, where thousands of pilgrims arrive daily to pay obeisance at the cave shrine of Vaishno Devi. Sharma, who joined the protesters on Sunday, warned the administration of a chain hunger strike if the detained samiti members are not released within 24 hours.
"I will sit on a hunger strike with my people if the administration does not release those detained. The administration should immediately release them," the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA told the protesters. He praised the unity shown by the people of Katra.
"The residents of Katra have proven that we stand together in t.
