A 12-hour dawn-to-dusk bandh called by the local United Action Committee demanding fulfilment of their six-point charter of demands disrupted normal life in Keonjhar district on Wednesday.
While shops and other business establishments remained closed, vehicular movement came to a grinding halt as members of the committee blocked road on the National Highway. Committee supporters also staged a Rail Roko at the Keonjhar railway station in the morning.
However, emergency services were excluded from the ambit of the shutdown.
The committee’s demands included expediting of the Keonjhar medical college work, Unitary University status to the Dharanidhara Autonomous College, rail connectivity from Anandapur to Champua and setting up of a mega steel plant in the district.
Notably, the committee had staged a dharna in front of the district Collector’s office from September 23 to 27 to press its demands. Alleging that no step was taken by the State Government towards fulfilment of their demands, the body gave a bandh call.