Bhubaneswar: Several protesters were detained for allegedly blocking roads during a 12-hour statewide bandh in Odisha on Wednesday, while normal vehicular movement and daily activities remained largely unaffected in Bhubaneswar, police said.
Bhubaneswar Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Dr Saravana Vivek M said adequate security arrangements had been made across the city and police forces were deployed at important locations on the instructions of the Commissioner of Police.
“There was no significant impact due to the bandh. Vehicular movement remained normal and the traffic situation was completely normal. Shops were open and government offices also functioned as usual,” the DCP told reporters.
He said police teams responded promptly to incidents reported at some places where protesters allegedly burnt tyres and attempted to block roads.
“Some people burnt tyres at a few places in the city, but our teams immediately reached the spots and brought the situation under control,” Saravana said.
Some protesters who allegedly tried to block roads at Master Canteen Square were detained for obstructing traffic and preventing the movement of vehicles, he said.
“They will be released after some time after signing bonds,” the DCP added.
Meanwhile, a 12-hour statewide bandh called by the Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan (NNKS) over alleged errors in school textbooks was observed across Odisha on Wednesday.
The bandh was observed from 6 am to 6 pm over a six-point charter of demands, including the resignation of School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond.
Members of the NNKS and Nabnirman Yuva Chhatra Sangathan (NYCS) staged protests at several locations across the state, with protesters blocking roads at some places.
The organisations have raised several demands concerning school education and sought the resignation of the School and Mass Education Minister.
In Bhubaneswar, however, police said normal life was largely unaffected, with traffic movement, commercial activity and functioning of government offices continuing as usual.
