life was partially hit and road communication was disrupted at some places in southern Odisha as posters and banners were put up by Maoists and roads were blocked by felling trees at different places calling for support to their Odisha and Chhattisgarh bandh on Monday.
Posters were found at several places including on an under-construction chariot of lord Jagannath in Raighar block of Nabarangpur district.
In Kandhamal, posters were put up by the Bansadhara-Ghumusara Nagabali Division Committee on Sunday night and vehicular movement on the Baliguda-Daringbadi National Highway 59 was disrupted as Maoists blocked the road by felling trees.
The rebels also blocked the road near Kerapadar Chhak under Boden police station in Nuapada district. Sources said ultras have reportedly have planted landmines in Sinapli following which the district police have sent a bomb squad to defuse the mines.
In Kalahandi district, the Red rebels felled trees to block roads at Phurlijharan in T Rampur and Manikera under M Rampur blocks.
Meanwhile, police and security forces in Kalahandi, Nuapada and Kandhamal districts have tightened security in the area and intensified combing operations to foil any attempt by the .Maoists to create mayhem.
In Gajapati district, the Maoist shutdown failed to have any impact. Most of the shops, Government offices, schools remained open and bus services functioned as usual. However, all the Government buses plying at night to Adaba on National Highway 16 stayed off the roads due to security reasons. Though the bandh has evoked poor response, the police are not taking any chances and carrying out intensive patrolling in the sensitive locations, said Adaba PS iic Mukesh lajra.