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Srinagar: Police used water cannons and batons in Kashmir on Monday to disperse hundreds of government employees protesting over the hike in fuel prices, while a general strike also shut down Assam.
Protests elsewhere in the country, however, appeared to taper off after widespread complaints that strikes in several states had only made a difficult situation worse.
The fuel price blow was also cushioned after several state governments announced duty cuts of between two and five percentage points, although Kashmir has not yet announced any duty cuts and Assam made only a tiny cut in sales tax.
In Kashmir, dozens of people were also detained after government employees gathered outside the office of the state's chief minister in the heart of Srinagar to protest against the hike.
"Roll back price of petrol, diesel and cooking gas," the protesters shouted before being dispersed by police.
A four-day strike called by private transport operators demanding an increase in passenger fares and freight charges also put thousands of people to hardship in the state. Officials said the government would deploy buses and other vehicles to offer rides after the strike threw about 75,000 vehicles off the roads.
In Assam, tribal groups called a 12-hour shutdown yesterday, accusing the government of inept handling of oil prices. Offices, banks, shops and schools remained closed and traffic stayed off the road.
"The government has no concern for the common people," the coalition of tribal groups from Assam's hill areas said in a statement. "This will force tribals into starvation."
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