RANCHI: The Kolhan Bandh, called by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday, witnessed widespread impact in West Singhbhum as most of the shops and business establishments remained closed since the morning.
The 6 am to 6 pm bandh was called by the BJP in two districts of the Kolhan region against the alleged baton-charge on tribals during a demonstration in Chaibasa town on Monday night.
Villagers in Chaibasa have been demanding the imposition of “no entry” on heavy vehicles on NH 220 and NH 75E during daytime to check frequent road accidents.
Villagers on Monday were marching towards the residence of Jharkhand Transport Minister Deepak Birua to ‘gherao’ his residence and hand over a memorandum to him in this regard, during which the police resorted to lathi-charge and hurled tear gas shells, leading to a stampede, injuring many people.
Later, the police also arrested several protesters, prompting the BJP and other tribal organisations to call a bandh.
Due to the bandh, attendance in schools and colleges remained extremely low, and public transport was completely shut down. Roads and major intersections remained deserted as the vehicles kept off the roads due to a bandh called by the tribal organisations and BJP.
Former Chief Minister Madhu Koda, along with his wife Geeta Koda, took to the streets to support the bandh.
Some of the tribal organisations, along with BJP workers, also took to the streets, appealing to people to support the bandh.
Bus services on the Jamshedpur-Ranchi route, Kiriburu and the surrounding rural areas were completely disrupted, causing significant inconvenience to the people.
Due to the blockade created by the protesters by burning tyres on the roads, several trucks and light motor vehicles remained stranded on the National Highway connecting Jharkhand to Odisha and Bengal for several hours.
The protesters blocked the road at Chakradharpur, Jagannathpur, Sonua, and Goilkera areas by burning tyres in the middle of the road. Bandh supporters were seen raising anti-government slogans and condemning the police action.
Additional police teams were deployed to maintain law and order.
Earlier on Tuesday, BJP leaders burned the effigy of Chief Minister Hemant Soren at the Chaibasa Post Office Chowk to register their protest. The police administration made elaborate security arrangements throughout the city to prevent any untoward incident. Additional police forces have been deployed at major intersections and bus stands in Chaibasa.
Regular patrolling is also being done by the police forces to maintain peace in the area.