MUMBAI: As the biers of Pulwama's martyred jawans were wrapped in the tricolour and their pyres lit Saturday, anger simmered in the streets of Mumbai and surrounding areas like Thane and Kalyan. Bandhs were observed in these regions, some at the behest of political parties. But few were met with protestations given the magnitude of the tragedy.Heavy police bandobast and nakabandi was visible throughout Mumbai. No untoward incident was reported.Shops were shut in Muslim-dominated areas like Dongri, Bhendi Bazaar, Null Bazar, Nagpada and Madanpura in South and Central Mumbai. Amjad Khan, a mobile shop owner in Madanpura, said, "The entire nation stands as one with the families of our martyred soldiers. We have shut down our business to protest the terrorist attack."The commonly chaotic lanes of another Muslim-dominated neighbourhood, Mumbra in Thane, wore a deserted look as the township observed a total bandh. Autorickshaws were off the road and shops remained closed. Thane municipal transport temporarily suspended all its bus services in Mumbra.Grocery shops and vegetable vendors near Bhatia hospital in Tardeo were asked to roll down shutters by Shiv Sainiks. All shops except medical stores were closed in Belapur, Navi Mumbai. In Manish Nagar, Four Bungalows, demonstrators set fire to a Pakistani flag and shouted "Pakistan Murdabad". Another group led a candle march from Lokhandwala Circle to the Back Road.In Malad, Ashok Kamble, state chief of the Dalit outfit Bhim Army threatened statewide protests if the Modi government did not take "stern action against Pakistan within the next two days".The student community devised heartfelt elaborate tributes to honour the martyrs. Around 1,000 scholars of SIES College observed two minutes' silence. In Thane, St Xavier's, Shreerang Vidyalaya and Saraswati Vidyalaya schools held memorials.However, HSC students who had to take their practical exam at various junior colleges were delayed due to low availability of rickshaws and rumours of a morcha. Maharashtra State Board officials said that in case a student failed to reach college in time, the college may allow him to appear before February 18.Bandhs and marches unfolded on the outskirts of Mumbai. Shops were closed and public transport including autos came to a halt in Vasai-Virar. Stray instances of tyre burning were reported from Naigaon and Nalasopara. Silent marches were led through multiple localities. No political party was seen taking mileage from the protests.Palghar district police acted swiftly and issued an advisory asking people not to force a bandh or resort to protest by unlawful means. Helpline numbers were circulated on social media for citizens to report trouble.Residents of Kalamboli and Koparkhairane in Navi Mumbai staged protests. Similar rallies unfolded on the Sion-Panvel highway. Traders showed solidarity by closing shops. Kalamboli traffic inspector Ankush Khedkar said, “It was a peaceful protest without disrupting traffic on the highway. The marches were led mostly in the internal roads and in public squares.”Thane witnessed a complete shutdown of shops particularly in the station area which otherwise buzzes with activity. Thousands of citizens were inconvenienced as buses and autos went off the road.

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