Normal life virtually came to a standstill across the State during the 12-hour dawn-to-dusk Odisha Bandh and Hartal called by the opposition Congress and BJP on Wednesday to protest the injustice done to the Kunduli gangrape victim leading to her suicide.
While Government and private buses stayed off the roads apprehending violence in the morning bringing misery for the passengers, trains were stopped by agitating Congress workers leaving many passengers stranded at the Bhubaneswar railway station.
Trains like Bangalore-Tinsukia Superfast Express, Sambalpur-Puri and Sambalpur-Rayagada Intercity Express trains were stopped at the city railway station. To make matters worse for the commuters, auto-rickshaws and city buses also did not operate fearing violence by the agitators.
Bandh supporters were seen picketing at places like Master Canteen Square, Jaydev Vihar Square, Rasulgarh and major intersections of the State capital by burning tyres, holding placards and shouting slogans against the ruling BJD Government.
“Protesting the injustice done to the innocent Kunduli girl, we have called the Odisha Bandh. The State Government and the administration vehemently tried to suppress the case owing to which the girl committed suicide,” alleged senior Congress leader Suresh Kumar Routray.
Some BJP leaders and activists tried to barge into the State Secretariat but were stopped by police and detained. The Chief Minister came to Secretariat amid tight security cover. The Chief Secretary and other department Secretaries had to come to the Secretariat escorted by the police.
Most of the business establishments including petrol pumps hotels and banks downed their shutters in different parts of the State.
Congress workers also stopped several trains at Sambalpur and Bhadrak railway stations.
Besides, the bandh hit normal life in several places like Rourkela, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Jagatsinghpur and Cuttack.
Schools and Colleges across the State remained closed as per the instructions of the State Government on the day. However, the bandh was overall peaceful barring a few stray incidents of violence in different parts of the State.