Maoist Bandh hits normal life in some parts of Orissa

BHUBANESWAR: Normal life was disrupted in parts of Orissa, where Maoists have been calling the shots for some time as they observe a two-day Bharat Bandh in protest against the death of a top Naxal leader beginning on Wednesday.

Rail and road services were disrupted in some parts of Orissa with several trains passing through Maoist dominated regions were either terminated or diverted or regulated. Railways have cancelled and short terminated some of the trains in East Coast Railway’s jurisdiction, according to a press release issued by the East Coast Railways.

State-run bus service was suspended in Maoist-hit districts like Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada and Gajapati as a precautionary measure leaving passengers stranded at many places, police said. Passenger bus services were affected particularly on NH-215 passing through Maoist prone areas in Sundargarh and Keonjhar district. Very few trucks were plying, police said.

Vehicular movement in several rebel-infested regions remained restricted as the bandh evoked a mixed response in the State.

The bandh, however, had little impact in urban areas. But shops and business establishments downed their shutters in Malkangiri, Gajapati, Koraput, Rayagada, Keonjhar and Sundargarh, the police said, adding the ultras blocked a road by felling trees in Kalimela area of Malkangiri district.

A report from Rourkela said the situation in Maoist-hit Sundargarh and neighbourng Keonjhar districts remained peaceful with no untoward incident.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made in these areas where patrolling was intensified by CRPF, SOG and local police.

No untoward incident has so far been reported from any part of the State where the situation remained peaceful, a senior police official said.