Bandh affects normal life in UP, Orissa

Rail services were disrupted in many parts of Uttar Pradesh today and three buses torched in the state capital during a nation-wide bandh called by the Left and non-BJP parties to protest government’s “failure” to check price rise.

Scores of SP activists were detained in Allahabad while trying to disrupt rail traffic.More than 50 SP workers gathered at the Prayag railway station at around 5 AM in the morning and squatted on the tracks, obstructing the movement of Lucknow-bound GangaGomati Express, police said.

The agitating SP workers were detained by GRP personnel following which the train could leave the station at 6 AM, half-an-hour behind schedule.

In the state capital, three buses were set ablaze allegedly by Samajwadi Party workers.

While the SP workers torched two buses in Krishna Nagar and Ashiyana areas in the wee hours, another was set ablaze in front of Vidhan Bhawan building, they said.

The SP workers also stopped trains at several places in the state including Lucknow and Pratapgarh, the sources said, adding that some people were detained in this connection.

RLD and CPI workers took out a procession and staged dharna at Hazratganj crossing in Lucknow disrupting traffic movement.

In Ghaziabad, Samajwadi Party workers stopped the Lucknow—bound Shatabdi at the railway station for around 20 minutes. Some trains on way to Delhi were also blocked, railway sources said.

Daily commuters between Meerut and Delhi were stranded as private buses were not plying on the stretch.

In Modinagar, Lok Dal leader and Chairman Modinagar Nagar Palika Sudesh Sharma along with his supporters blocked traffic.

Authorities have made tight security arrangements in view of the bandh.

ADG (Law and Order) Brij Lal said around 2700 PAC personnel have been sent to different districts to ensure law and order.

Bandh disrupts normal life in Orissa

Normal life was thrown out of gear in Orissa during the 12-hour shutdown called by Left and other parties and supported by ruling BJD in the state against Centre’s alleged failure to check price rise.

Vehicular movement was paralysed across the state as bandh supporters blocked national highways, state highways and other roads, putting a halt to plying of passenger buses, trucks, taxis and autorickshaws, police sources said.

Rail services were also affected as trains were stopped at different stations for a brief period, they said.

Security was tightened throughout the state with deployment of about 2000 security personnel in various places to deal with any eventuality during the strike called by seven non—Congress and non—BJP political parties in the state.

In the state capital, shops, business establishments and commercial outfits remained closed during the bandh.

The strike affected work in Central government offices, public sector units including NALCO, post offices and banks as bandh supporters resorted to picketing and prevented staff from entering their offices, sources said.

Work was also affected in East Cost Railway (ECoR) headquarters due to picketing by bandh supporters, but emergency arrangements had been made by railway authorities to maintain basic functioning, an official said.

The shutdown also affected normal life in various places like Cuttack, Berhampur, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Balasore, Puri, Balangir, Baripada and Khurda.