Bharat Bandh: Coalfield ops normal, inter-state traffic affected in Jharkhand

RANCHI: The nationwide shutdown over the Centre's new farm laws evoked a mixed response in Jharkhand on Tuesday with government offices functioning as usual, private institutions and shops closed in some areas, while local traffic was near normal but long-distance vehicles remained off the roads.

Protests and demonstrations were held in Ranchi, Dhanbad, Hazaribagh, Jamshedpur, Palamu, Dumka, Bokaro, Sahibganj and Pakur but no untoward incident was reported from anywhere, officials said.

Director-General of Police MV Rao said that the situation in all the districts was peaceful.

All the central government and state government offices were functioning normally in Ranchi, but the 'Bharat Bandh' had an impact on private offices and business establishments.

Some private establishments were shut, while more than half were open.

Left supporters along with workers of the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal held demonstrations and protests in several cities and towns across the state.

There was no significant impact of the shutdown on local traffic in all districts, while inter-state bus services and movement of long-distance vehicles came to a standstill.

In Pattabari in Dumka, JMM supporters blocked the road, stopping vehicular movement for some time.

In Palamu's Medininagar, Kisan Sabha state executive president KD Singh led a demonstration along with dozens of activists, protesting against the farm laws.

Protesting farmers blocked the Kolkata-Delhi national highway at Kishan Chowk in Dhanbad in the morning for an hour, disrupting traffic.

Besides, supporters of the Congress, JMM and CPI(M) blocked the National Highway-32 at Randhir Verma Chowk.

They burnt tyres to block the traffic but police removed them swiftly.

However, operations were normal in the coalfields in the state.

Though the trade unions supported the shutdown, Bharat Coming Coal Limited (BCCL) officials said coal mining and dispatch remained unaffected.