Mangaluru : The sudden turn of events in Dakshina Kannada district, from prohibitory orders to self-imposed bundh on Friday, has left thousands of passengers arriving in the district as well as the city, stranded as buses and autorickshaws remained off the roads since morning.

Though a few autorickshaws picked up passengers and operated early in the morning, police discouraged operators later on fearing attack. Police personnel were seen preventing autorickshaws to move out of the Mangaluru Central Railway Station in the morning, even as they did not make any alternative arrangements for the hapless passengers.

This made a passenger to sarcastically remark, “Mangaluru has become a laughing stock in the world,” referring to frequent incidents of violence and bundhs.

The KSRTC bus terminal, Bejai, where hundreds alighted from long-distance buses from across the state. While a few managed to get vehicles from their relatives, others walked and a few hired taxis to reach their destinations.

Meanwhile, the city wore a deserted look with all shops, establishments and eateries downing their shutters. Police personnel moving on their vehicles were seen urging commercial establishments to close down the operation. Even milk booths were closed beyond 8 am in the city.

Hundreds of people, who depend on hotels for their daily needs, were seen making frantic purchases of whatever available even as some resorted to buying fruits from push carts.

 A milk shop owner beaten by police in-front of his wife to shut down the shop when police second time warned to close the shop near Mangaladevi Temple area.