Bhubaneswar (PTI): Normal life was on Monday affected during a dawn-to-dusk bandh in five south Orissa districts called by some Left parties and others in protest against the recent violence in Kandhamal, official sources said here.
Vehicles went off the road and shops remained closed in Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Rayagada and Koraput districts during the bandh called by left outfits like CPI-ML (New Democracy), CPI-ML (Liberation), CPI-ML (Red Flag) and Samajwadi Jana Parishad .
Their demands including action against organisations instigating violence in Kandhamal in the aftermath of killing of Laxamananda Saraswati and security to the riot victims.
The shut-down also had its echo in state capital Bhubaneswar where Left activists blocked railway tracks and roads for a brief period, Khitish Biswal of CPI-ML(liberation) said.
The state-owned Orissa State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) cancelled all long-distance buses from Berhampur while private bus owners kept their vehicles off the road.
While shops business establishments were closed in Raikia, Daringibadi, Kotagada, Tumudibandh, Nuagaon, Tikabali and Udaygiri areas of Kandhamal, markets were open in district headquarter town of Phulbani as well as at Berhampur in nearby Ganjam, sources said.
The central security forces deployed at Daringibadi chased a group of bandh supporters while blocking the roads.
At least 26 bandh supporters were detained at Rambha in Ganjam while resorting the railway services.
However, They were released later, they said adding barring few minor incidents, the bandh passed off peacefully.
