Following the alleged desecration of an Ambedkar statue in Ludhiana and the resultant bandh there on Wednesday, several organisations have also called for a day-long bandh in Jalandhar on Thursday.The Jalandhar police is on high alert, and security around Ambedkar statues has been stepped up across the district. In rural Jalandhar alone, there are 76 statues of Dr BR Ambedkar.On a call given by Bhagwan Valmiki Shakti Kranti Sena Punjab and tBhim Kranti Sena, several organisations have announced a bandh in Jalandhar from 9 am to 5 pm on Thursday. The organisations said that schools, colleges and medical stores would, however, remain open during the bandh.Jalandhar remained on high alert on Wednesday as a bandh was observed in Ludhiana amid anger over the desecration of a statue of Dr BR Ambedkar at Bypass Chowk in Ludhiana.Dalit and Ambedkarite organisations, along with political groups, took to the streets after miscreants allegedly placed a garland of shoes around an Ambedkar statue in Ludhiana, drawing widespread condemnation across Punjab.The Ludhiana incident also triggered protests in Jalandhar, where BJP leaders led by district president Ashok Sareen Hikki and senior leader Manoranjan Kalia, among others, raised slogans against the state government and demanded action against those responsible. They staged a protest at Ambedkar Chowk on Tuesday night.On Wednesday, members of the District Congress Urban unit also held a dharna at Bhagwan Valmiki Chowk and marched to Ambedkar Chowk, which houses one of the most prominent statues of Dr Ambedkar in Jalandhar.District Congress president Rajinder Beri said, “The incident that took place in Ludhiana is highly condemnable. The law-and-order situation in Punjab has completely failed. Ever since the AAP government came to power in Punjab, several such incidents have taken place. We demand the strictest possible action against the person responsible for this shameful act so that no one dares to commit such an act in the future.”The hub of Dalit organisations in the Doaba region, Jalandhar is home to several Ambedkar statues, some of which have been targeted in the past.Miscreants and vandals have attacked or vandalised statues in the city as well as in Phillaur, following which several of these statues have been encased in glass.Following the Ludhiana incident, stringent security measures have been put in place around these statues. Security was also stepped up at the Ambedkar Chowk statue in the city on Tuesday night.SSP Rural Jalandhar Harvinder Singh Virk said, “No significant bandh is expected in Jalandhar’s rural areas tomorrow. However, following the Ludhiana incident, our teams are on alert and patrol teams have been sensitised to the current situation. Strict vigil is being maintained around Ambedkar statues across the rural areas. Patrol and ERV teams are always adequately deployed around Ambedkar statues and are keeping a close watch in the current situation.”