The 'Bharat Bandh' call given by some upper caste organisations and supported by OBC outfits against the amended SC/ST Act Thursday evoked a strong response in Madhya Pradesh even as the day largely passed off peacefully.
A majority of private schools, petrol pumps, markets and business establishments in most parts of the state remained shut, police said.
Protests were witnessed in Rewa, Satna, Chhatarpur and Ashoknagar districts while incidents of stone-pelting were reported from some places, they said. Police said they had to lob teargas shells at Aron in Guna district to disperse the protesters.
A number of arrests were made in some districts but the police could not give the exact number of those held.
The bandh was called against the amendment carried out by the Parliament to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act after some of its provisions were read down by the Supreme Court.
Brahma Samagam Sawarna Jankalyan Sangathan national president Dharmendra Sharma said about 150 organisations of upper castes and OBCs participated in the bandh.
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The shutdown was effective in most the state's cities, including capital Bhopal, Katni, Vidisha, Sehore, Dewas, Indore, Gwalior, Jhabua, Mandsaur, Chhattarpur, Sagar and Ujjain, he said.
"We got an overwhelming response to our 'Bharat bandh' call," Sharma claimed.
A senior police official said, "In Rewa, Satna and Chhatarpur districts, thousands of protesters took to the streets. In Shadora area of Ashok Nagar district, some protesters squatted on the railway tracks, while in Rewa they tried to stop a train."
Earlier, in Khandwa, Chouhan appealed to the people saying, "Madhya Pradesh is an island of peace. I pray that we all progress and no one should try to disrupt peace in the state. I am available for everyone...for each citizen."