Even as the Shiv Sena demanded a halt to the Jaitapur nuclear power project, curfew was imposed in Ratnagiri city on Tuesday for 24 hours after a lathi-charge outside the civil hospital where the body of a protester awaited post mortem.

Violent protests on Monday at the site of the power project at Madban and later in the fishing village of Sakhri Nate led to the death of Sayekar in police firing and injuries to 30 people, including 16 policemen.

Ironically Sayekar was a fisherman who was not losing any land due to the project. However, fisherfolk have been expressing serious concerns about the nuclear project and its impact on fishing.

A Ratnagiri district bandh called today by the Shiv Sena was mostly peaceful except for a few incidents of stone throwing and tyre-burning. Public transport was at a standstill and all shops and offices were closed.

The curfew was imposed after the protests at the civil hospital turned violent, the district police superintendent, Mr Pradip Raskar, said. There were sporadic incidents of stone throwing and buses being stopped and tyres deflated, Mr Raskar said.

The Ratnagiri District Collector, Mr Madhukar Gaikwad, defending the police firing, said that on Monday morning, 200 people destroyed machines and electronic equipment at the project site of the nuclear power project at Madban and the police had to fire in the air.

Five-six policemen were seriously hurt and in the second incident at Nate, when a mob of 600-700 ransacked the police station and burnt records.

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