Maoist bandh hits normal life in southern districts

 BHUBANESWAR/BERHAMPUR : Normal life was affected in five southern districts of the State due to the dawn-to-dusk bandh called by Maoists on Saturday. The 12-hour bandh call was given by the Bansadhara-Ghumusura-Nagabali division of the CPI (Maoist) demanding immediate arrest of the culprits in the alleged gang rape of a minor girl at Kunduli village in Koraput district, stopping violence against tribal women and solution to the Mahanadi water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

Though the bandh had no impact in majority of districts, it affected normal life in Rayagada, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Gajapati and Ganjam districts. There was heavy deployment of BSF, CRPF, SOG and police in sensitive areas in view of the bandh. Official sources said Government buses remained off the road in the five districts while private vehicles were in operation only in some towns.

The rebels blocked NH-59 with logs near Tagada bridge, Baliguda and Tumudibandh in Kandhamal district. Banners urging people to make the bandh a success were put up by them at several other places.
There was no vehicular traffic in the interior areas of the districts. Otherwise busy Bhawanipatna-Rayagada road also wore a deserted look. Plying of vehicles was also affected in Kandhamal and Boudh districts due to the bandh.

The Maoists blocked the NH-59 near Dadimaha, about 22 kms from Tumudibandh police station, on Friday night by placing huge chopped off trees and pasted posters in support of their demands. The posters were also found in various places creating panic among the locals who did not venture out. The Maoists had abducted a Gaon Sathi, Basant Bhatta of Durgapanga village, on Sunday and later shot him dead. 
Shops and business establishments were closed in Lanjigarh and Thuamul Rampur of Kalahandi district. There was heavy police deployment at Lanjigarh airstrip because of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s visit to Balangir district. 

The Maoists blocked road near Bhursikhamar village under Muniguda police limits on Friday night disrupting communication. Muniguda police along with CRPF personnel cleared the road by 7 am following which communication on the road was restored. Though there were reports that a person of Urladani village near Kandhamal-Kalahandi border was killed by the Maoists during the bandh, police denied having any such information and described it as a rumour. There was also reports that a woman was allegedly abducted by the Maoists from Lahidi village near Gumudumaha in Kandhamal district. The gang rape, against which the Maoists called the bandh, took place on October 10 when a student of Class IX was allegedly tortured by four men near Kunduli village in Koraput district.

● The 12-hour bandh was called by Bansadhara-Ghumusura-Nagabali division of the Maoists demanding arrest of the culprits in the alleged gang rape of a minor girl in Koraput, stopping violence against tribal women and solution to the Mahanadi water dispute
● Though the bandh had no impact in majority of districts, it affected normal life in Rayagada, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Gajapati and Ganjam districts
● Government buses remained off the road in the affected districts, the Maoists blocked the roads by felling trees and posters were found in various places creating panic among the locals