Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of attempting to shield the culprits behind the professor's death on August 26, Congress workers and those from its students' wing National Students Union of India were seen trying to forcibly close shops in Bhopal, Jabalpur, Ujjain and certain other places as part of the daylong bandh.

Reports reaching Bhopal spoke of tension in Jabalpur with BJP and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad activists opposing closure of shops and business establishments by NSUI activists in the wake of the bandh called on Teachers' Day on Tuesday.

Similar reports came in from other major cities of the state including Indore and Gwalior. Attendance in offices and government schools and colleges were reported to be thin.

Officials in Bhopal said no untoward incidents had been reported so far.

"We are fully geared to ensure a complete and peaceful bandh throughout the state," state Congress spokesperson Manak Aggarwal told PTI in Bhopal.

Aggarwal said essential services like hospitals, railways and public transport systems have been kept out of the purview of the bandh to ensure that the people in large were not inconvenienced.

Very few people were on the streets and private school gates remained locked as they have declared a holiday in the wake of the bandh.

Sabharwal, who was supervising the students' union elections of Madhav College in Ujjain, died last week after an attack by unruly students who were protesting the cancellation of the polls following complaints of irregularities.

In Madhav College, students and teachers condoled the death of Sabharwal during Teacher's Day function. Teachers wore black ribbons to register their protest against the incident.