Bhubaneswar: More than 100 agitators were detained and 32 platoons of police force deployed in the Twin City of Bhubaneswar and Kataka as the Odisha bandh called by the INDIA Alliance disrupted normal life across the state on Thursday, Bhubaneswar-Kataka Police Commissioner S Debadatta Singh said.
Singh said 18 platoons were deployed in Bhubaneswar and 14 in Kataka to maintain law and order during the 12-hour bandh. More than 200 police officers were also positioned at strategic locations to monitor the situation, he said.
The Commissioner warned that strict legal action would be taken against anyone indulging in violence during the bandh.
Police gave priority to ensuring that public life and emergency services remained unaffected, Singh said, adding that special arrangements were made to facilitate the movement of patients and people requiring emergency medical assistance.
Security personnel were also deployed to ensure the normal movement of trains and traffic on national highways, he said.
Meanwhile, Congress and other INDIA bloc workers took to the streets since morning, staging picketing and forcing closure of shops and markets at several places. Protesters also blocked highways by burning tyres at some locations.
The bandh has affected bus services across Odisha, leaving passengers stranded and inconvenienced at several places.
The INDIA Alliance has called the bandh over its demands, including opposition to the MMDR Bill and seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
