Actor's death sparks disruptions in Bangalore; IT hit

IT companies declare Thursday a day off in honor of Rajkumar's funeral

By John Ribeiro

April 12, 2006 12:00 PM ET

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IDG News Service - The death of popular local film actor Rajkumar today threw India's IT hub Bangalore into disarray as fans went on a rampage, demanding that shops and other establishments close as a mark of mourning for the 78-year-old star.

The facility of Microsoft Research Lab India Pvt. was stoned by fans of the actor, according to a lab spokeswoman.

Expecting more unrest, a number of IT companies have declared Thursday, when the actor's funeral is scheduled, a day off for their staffs.

"We will be shut down tomorrow, because we are worried there may be trouble," said a spokeswoman for software outsourcer Infosys Technologies Ltd. The company, which on Friday is scheduled to announce the results for its fiscal year ended March 31, will proceed with that announcement, she added.

Another outsourcer, iGate Global Solutions Ltd., has also called for a day off Thursday after incidents of arson in the vicinity. "This will not impact our work, since staff will make up by working an extra day next week," said a spokesman for the company. "Most of our staff will also work remotely from home on Thursday on any time-critical work."

Some operations, including the Indian subsidiary of Dell Inc., did not report any problems. "It is work as usual for us," said a company spokesman.

The local state government has declared a two-day period of mourning for Rajkumar. The actor was influential in state politics by his ability to rally thousands of often unruly supporters.

Reprinted with permission from

IDG.net
Story copyright 2009 International Data Group. All rights reserved.

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