Nabarangpur: Normal life came to a standstill in Nabarangpur and Kandhamal districts due to a dawn-to-dusk bandh called by the Congress to protest against the arrest of former Congress MP Pradip Majhi.
Members of the party blocked roads at many places bringing vehicular movement to a grinding halt in the district. The agitating members were also seen picketing in many places in the two districts.
However, emergency services and educational institutions were spared from the purview of the shutdown.
According to sources, the Congress called the 12-hour bandh in the two districts demanding the release of Majhi and 16 other members of the party, who are presently lodged Umerkote sub-jail for ransacking the Raighara forest range office and beating up forest and police personnel.
Adequate security arrangements have been made in the districts to avoid any untoward situation.