Bandh peaceful in Bihar, J’khand
The first day of the two-day shutdown called by the Maoists in five states passed off without any violent incidents in Bihar and Jharkhand on Wednesday, but there was palpable fear in both the states as normal life was badly hit due to severe restrictions of public transport systems.
Marketplaces in Bihar’s Maoist-affected districts in like Aurangabad, Jehanabad, Gaya and Arwal remained closed. In Jharkhand, where this is the third Maoist-called shutdown in a month, there was little business activity in the Maoist-hit districts of Latehar, Garhwa, Palamu and Simdega. A group of policemen patrolling in Simdega’s Rani jungle escaped unhurt while detaching a poster bomb tied to bamboo sticks. They also recovered a live landmine there.
Two Central ministers visiting Bihar on Wednesday, minister of state for commerce and industry Jyotiraditya Scindia and minister of state for Railways K.H. Muniyappa, asserted that the Central government was keen on combating the Maoist menace in close coordination with the governments of the affected states.
The bandh, which the Maoists called to protest the alleged fake encounter death of their senior leader Cherukuri Rajkumar, alias Azad, in Andhra Pradesh on July 2, saw the cancellation of over a dozen long-distance trains both in Bihar and Jharkhand. About 10 trains were also diverted from their normal routes to evade possible attacks.
Post new comment