Traffic disrupted

The New Indian Express, Aug 26, 2008

MALKANGIRI: Irate activists of the Saffron brigade razed a church at Nakamamudi under Chitrakonda police limits in Korukonda block during the Orissa bandh.

Normal life was badly hit in Malkangiri, Balimela, Mathili, Kudmulgumma and Govindpalli areas with the activists taking to the streets to enforce the bandh.

In Balimela, Power House, OHPC, Potteru Irrigation Project, NAC Office and SBI remained virtually inaccessible for the government employees. They had to walk to offices in the absence of public transport.

In Malkangiri Town the attendance in Government offices was thin as the bandh supporters detained the employees at several places by blocking road and burning tyres.

BHAWANIPATNA: All important places like Kesinga, Junagarh, Dharamgarh, Jaipatna, Madanpur Rampur and Narla were affected and vehicular traffic and shops and business establishments remained closed.

The activists picketed government offices and locked the main gates of Doordarshan and Akashvani Kendra. However, no breach of law and order was reported.

BARIPADA: Movement of vehicular traffic on the two national highways - NH-5 and NH 6 - passing through Mayurbhanj district came to a halt following the dawnto- dusk bandh called by the Sangh Parivar on monday.

Long distance trucks got stranded on the Jharkhand side of the border near Jamsola border checkpost in Mayurbhanj on NH-5 as their entry into Orissa was virtually impossible due to picketing by VHP activists, police said.

Twelve platoons of Orissa State Armed Police and Armed Police Reserve have been deployed in vulnerable and sensitive areas. Combing operations in the Maoist-prone areas of the district have also been intensified.

Offices, educational institutes, shops and courts remained closed as a result of picketing by VHP activists in front of the main entrance gates of the courts and offices. Except the damage to a vehicle carrying garments for sportspersons from Jharkhand near Palabani the bandh was peaceful all over the district.

JAJPUR: A missionary educational institution at Nadiabhanga and a church at Kalarangi in Kaliapani chromites area in Jajpur were damaged by the Saffron Brigade despite deployment of heavy security in sensitive areas, said Jajpur SP D.S. Kuttey.

Reports of stray violence were reported from Sukinda, Kaliapani and Kalinga Nagar areas. As many as 12 activists were arrested and over 100 others detained in the district, police said.

Traffic on NH-5, 215, 200 and 5(A), passing through the district, came to a halt as the protesters erected barricades and obstructed vehicular movement by burning tyres on the roads. Public transportation vehicles kept off the road and train services were also paralysed with the activists squatting on the tracks.

Mining activities and transportation of chromite ore at Sukinda chromites valley too came to a grinding halt.

PURI: The bandh was total in the Holy City and the activists did little to enforce it as Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati was a highly revered Seer here. The Saffron activists prevented entry of officials to the government offices and the district judge court. They squatted on the rail tracks and bus terminal.

The traders and businessmen downed shutters as a mark of respect to the departed Seer. The Grand Road also wore a deserted look.

The police threw security cordons around the churches, two mosques in the city and around the office of the designated returning officer.

However, the bandh had little effect on the prospective candidates who came along with their supporters in processions to file papers for the municipal elections. About 30 candidates filed papers today.

KENDRAPARA: The agitators forced closure of shops, banks and other establishments. A clash took place between the VHP and Bajrang Dal activities and members of minority community after the activities destroyed a shop of the community member.

Three persons sustained injuries. Police lathi-charged at the old bus stand to disperse an irate mob, said Santun Das Officer-in-Charge of Kendrapara police station.

An irate mob blocked NH-5(A) at Duhuria, Chatta, Balichandrapur, Gopa and other places. They also burnt tyres on the road.

Heavy police deployment was made in the Christian populated areas of Mahakalapada, Rajnagar and Kendrapara.

PARADIP: The activists blocked the road at Jagatsinghpur, Paradip, Tirtol, Kujang and other areas of the district. They ransacked the Tirtol block office on Monday and locked the staff for three hours demanding closure of the office.

Tirtol police rushed to the spot and rescued the officials. However, it did not have any impact on the loading and unloading of cargo and the operations were normal.

ANGUL: The VHP-sponsored bandh passed off peacefully in industrial district of Angul. The bandh was complete, claimed Rajya Sabha member Rudra Narayan Pany who blocked the traffic on NH-42.

The three national highways passing through the district wore a deserted look as activists of VHP, RSS and BJP blocked the highways at several places by burning tyres. Shops and business establishments remained closed and offices recorded thin attendance.

NTPC and Nalco power plants functioned normally while works in all the coal mines were stopped.

The Talcher Thermal Power Station main gate was blocked by agitators.