Bandh affects life in West Bengal

The 24-hour bandh called by the Forward Bloc on Wednesday affected normal life in West Bengal with rail and road transport disrupted even as police arrested 166 bandh supporters for putting up road blockades in many areas. Meanwhile, the toll in Tuesday's police firing in Dinhata climbed to six with a member of the National Volunteer Force, Krishna Kanta Burman, succumbing to injuries. The IGP (Law and Order) Raj Kanojia said 41 bandh supporters were arrested from different districts either for squatting on railway tracks or putting up road blockades at many important crossings in the districts disrupting road and rail traffic. Many passengers were stranded at both Howrah and Sealdah stations because of disruption in railway services. Even as a number of road blockades were reported from many places in Kolkata, police however, denied any incident of clashes so far. Altogether 125 bandh-supporters were arrested so far from different parts of the city, while road blockades were put up by them at Rajabazar, Shyambazar, S N Banerjee Road and Howrah Bridge, besides some other places. The FB called the bandh to protest against the police firing on its supporters at Dinhata in Coochbehar district on Tuesday during demonstrations against the state government's policies. Trinamool Congress, the main opposition party and Congress have supported the bandh while SUCI has extended 'moral' support to it.

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