Violence and attacks on journalists and locals by supporters of spiritual leader Asaram Bapu on Friday marred a bandh called by residents to protest against the death of two boys of an ashram run by him here.

The police opened fire and lobbed dozens of teargas shells to control arson after devotees of the Asaram Bapu Ashram — wielding lathis, swords and pistols — attacked protestors in Ahmedabad. The devotees also demanded a fair probe into the mysterious death of the boys, whose bodies were found on the banks of the Sabarmati river more than two weeks ago.

The Ahmedabad bandh coincided with Guru Poornima celebrations organised by the ashram. Several people, including mediapersons covering the celebrations in Motera village and those on a protest march near the ashram, were attacked by devotees. Strangely, the ashram did not tell its marauding devotees to stop indulging in violence.

The police, who initially chose not to intervene while the armed followers went beserk, later fired shots in the air and lobbed more than three-dozen tear gas shells when protestors decided to take on the attackers.

Angry locals soon spread over the Sabarmati area and other locations in the city, pelting stones and setting fire to vehicles, thus mounting retaliatory attacks. About 40 cars and many other vehicles were burnt by the protestors.

The mayhem began at 11 a m when a mob of nearly 2,000 followers from the ashram got out and began attacking locals gathered outside in protest. The mob threw stones at the gathering, injuring several people, including Gandhinagar Superintendent of Police Piyush Patel.

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