Thousands block roads in peaceful bandh

UNA/DEHLAN: As the deadline to kill one of the hostages in Iraq drew closer, Una responded and brought life to a standstill in its attempt to pressurise the government to get its dear ones back.
Hundreds and thousands of villagers from surrounding villages came onto the streets and observed a bandh, protesting against the government''s inaction to get its residents released from the clutches of terrorists in Iraq.
Antaryami and Tilak Raj, two out of the three hostages in Iraq, are from Una district. Such was the impact of the bandh that no vehicular movement was possible in Una as well as roads leading into Una.
In Ropar in neighbouring Punjab, home to hostage Sukhdev Singh, his 68-year-old mother fell ill from shock and anxiety and a team of doctors was rushed to the village.
His sister-in-law Karamjit appealed to his captors: "Please pardon our parents as they''re too frail from shock to speak. But I beg you, my brothers, please release our boy."