TV
The 12-hour ‘Odisha Bandh’ observed today, demanding justice for the deceased Balasore college student, has triggered widespread disruption across the state and left hundreds of students in despair.
Among the worst affected were aspirants of the All India Industrial Training Institute (ITI) entrance exam, who found themselves stranded on roads in Koraput, uncertain if they would reach their exam centres on time.
Students Stuck Hours Before Critical Exam
Sources said that multiple students from Semiliguda, Sunabeda, and Damanjodi were stopped en route to their examination centres early this morning as protestors blocked a key road with bamboo poles.
According to reports, the students were scheduled to appear for a national-level ITI exam at 8:30 am. However, an hour before the exam, they stood helpless with their vehicles halted by protestors enforcing the statewide shutdown.
“We had no idea this would happen. The exam is compulsory, and there was no notice of postponement from the Government of India or the exam authority. About 150 students are scheduled to take their exams at this centre,” said a teacher accompanying the students.
Faced with time ticking away and no transport in sight, several students decided to begin walking the remaining distance to their centres, unsure whether the exam would proceed or if they would be allowed to enter late.
“Since there has been no announcement of a postponement, we have to reach the venue. We have now decided to walk there,” said the teacher.
Critical Exams, No Exemptions
Unlike emergency services, which were officially exempt from the bandh, educational examinations received no such protection.
While the Congress and allied parties behind the bandh had claimed it would be peaceful and would not target essential services, students and parents alleged that there was no practical way to reach the exam venue as roads were blocked and public transport came to a standstill.
Statewide Bandh Disrupts Normal Life
The Odisha Bandh, called by Congress and seven other political outfits to protest the recent death of a student in Balasore, disrupted daily life in cities like Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and Sambalpur, with picketing, rail roko attempts, and transport blockades.
In Bhubaneswar, Congress workers clashed briefly with security personnel near the railway station, and tyre-burning protests brought traffic to a halt.
