Bandh partially affects normal life in North Bengal districts

The 12-hour bandh called by the BJP to protest the “atrocities on tribal community” in the backdrop of a minor girl’s death in Kaliaganj last week partially affected normal life in most parts of Uttar Dinajpur and six other districts of north Bengal on Friday.
Protesters damaged two NBSTC-operated buses in Cooch Behar district while BJP activists put up road blockades in different places of northern parts of the state hampering normal life there despite heavy deployment of police forces.
People in Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, Raiganj, Kaliaganj, Tufanganj, Balarampur, Cooch Behar city preferred remaining indoors as marketplaces, shops were closed because of the 12-hour strike that started at 6 am on Friday.
“The situation is peaceful and under control. Life is absolutely normal. We will not allow anyone to disrupt normal activities of the common people. We will take strong action against people who will make any attempt to disturb the peace,” a senior police officer of Bengal police said. So far, 11 persons have been detained from different parts of the eight districts of north Bengal.
In Tufanganj’s Chowpati area, police had to intervene when Trinamool Congress activists tried to stop a BJP rally. A similar situation was witnessed at Chakirbazar in Cooch Behar where TMC and BJP workers got involved in a scuffle.
The bandh, however, did not have much impact on normal life in Darjeeling and Malda districts where shops, markets opened normally, though BJP workers were seen protesting outside government offices demanding immediate “stoppage of work” there. Trinamool Congress activists also organised rival rallies against the bandh and urged people to continue normal life.