Ahmedabad, July 18: 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.

On being attacked, the protestors tried to flee, but were pursued by the followers who went after them with lathis. The followers also broke into nearby housing societies, ransacking and damaging property. The violence ended after more than half-an-hour.

“The ashram inmates just barged in and damaged at least 20 vehicles parked in our society complex,” said Rajesh Kumar, a resident of Stadium Villa Bungalows here. Soon, locals teamed up to target the followers, who were on their way to participate in the Guru Poornima celebrations.

Ahmedabad Joint Commissioner of Police Mohan Jha refused to comment on the role of the police. DIG J K Bhatt claimed that the situation was under control. The police, he claimed, “have arrested 10 to 15 people.” However, ashram administrator Uday Sangani was unavailable for comments.

Friday's violence was a fallout of the death of two schoolchildren — Dipesh Vaghela and Abhishek Vaghela — whose bodies were recovered on July 5 after they went missing from the ashram-run gurukul on July 3. Their parents alleged that the two were used for sorcery rites and done to death. The internal organs of one of the boys were missing, and both ears missing in the other, said family members.