Sporadic Violence Marks Odisha Bandh Over Fuel Price Hike

Bhubaneswar: Even as the Odisha Congress claimed to have organised a peacefull bandh across the State, sporadic incidents of violence have been reported from different parts of the State.

The party workers allegedly vandalised the furniture inside horticulture office at Astarang in Puri district. Tension erupted when police were trying to waylay the protesters while they were marching towards the office.

Similarly, the party workers waylaid a commuter forcefully and kicked his car directing him to go back at Lower PMG square in Bhubaneswar. They allegedly broke the glass of the car.

In another incident, the bandh enforcers have also intercepted a lady doctor near Satsang Vihar in Bhubaneswar while she was on her way to the hospital.

In Binika of Sonepur, members of marriage party were left stranded on the road for several hours as the party activists didn't allow them to commute. However, the protesters made the way for the vehicle of the bride-groom. The marriage party bus was returning from Rourkela to Umerkote in Nabarangpur.

Likewise, a judge in Sambalpur also faced inconvenience due to the bandh. Congress workers waylaid the Sub-divisional Judicial magistrate and requested him to go back.

Notably, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president today claimed that the bandh was successful. "I would like to thank all the people of odisha for their cooperation to make the bandh a success," Patnaik said.

The Congress observed a State-wide bandh in protest against the hike in prices of petrol, diesel and other essential commodities.