Daringbadi bandh to protest Junus arrest

All business establishments, government offices, educational institutions, commercial banks were closed at Daringbadi and traffic remained off the road, officials said.

Pradhan was affiliated to the ruling BJD as well as a minority leader and was the President of Christian Janakalyan Samaj, an apex body of Christians of Kandhmal.

The 12-hour bandh call was jointly given by three bodies working in the field of human rights protection-Banabasi Surakshya Parishad, District units of Odisha Adivasi Mancha and Adivasi Adhikar Andolana. The organisations alleged that said the charges leveled against Junus Pradhan were baseless, fabricated and vindictive.

Sajan George, National President of Global Council of Indian Christians, in a press note claimed that Pradhan was arrested by Kandhmal police without any valid reasons.

Pradhan was arrested on Monday on the charges of alleged involvement with the mine blast under Kotgarh police station area where three policemen were killed and three others injured. Pradhan was sent on judicial remand after his bail petition was rejected by a local court.