Bhubaneswar, Feb 15 (UNI) The six-hour Odisha bandh called by the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee in protest against the steep rise in prices of petrol and diesel passed off peacefully today barring some stray incidents of violence.

Reports reaching here said the bandh supporters had a sc uffle with the security personnel at Master canteen and PMG square in Bhubaneswar when they tried to break the police cardon to proceed towards state secretariat and Assembly. The bandh supporter vandalised the horticulture department office at Astaranga in Puri.

The bandh supporters also did not allow marriage party vehicles at Binika in Sodepur and Rajgangpur in Sundargarh district. The bandh which was observed from 7 AM to 1 PM affected normal life in several parts of the state.

Vehicles were off the road as the Private Bus operators had announced not to ply buses between 7 AM to 1 PM. The movement of the train was briefly affected as congress activists squatted on the tracks at various stations.

East Coast Railway(ECoR) sources said the bandh affected train services partially and some trains were controlled at various stations for a few minutes.

The state government had announced the closure of the schools, colleges and Universities for the security of the students. Business establishments and shops were closed in many places.

In the state capital, the road communication was badly hit as the Congress supporters blocked the NH 16 at several places by burning the tyres and picketing. Passengers were stranded for hours at the Airport, railway station and bus stands for hours due to non-availability of any communication.

The busy bus stand at Baramunda in Bhubaneswar and the Badambadi bus stand in Cuttack wore a deserted look due to bandh.

OPCC President Niranjan Patnaik described the bandh as a great success and thanked the people of the state for their support and cooperation.

The Congress leader said during the UPA regime the price of petrol and diesel was less than Rs 80 per litre when the crude oil price was 110 to 130 dollar per barrel but now when the cost of crude oil was less than 60 dollar per barrel, the per litre price of petrol touched Rs 90 and the diesel Rs 87.

Mr Patnaik said the oil prices were rising as both the union and the state government were imposing taxes and urged both the centre and the state government to reduce the tax and give relief to the people.

UNI BD DP RN