Ranchi, April 08: Normal life was affected in the wake of dawn-to-dusk Ranchi shutdown called by the opposition parties to protest the police firing at Islam Nagar that killed one person and injured dozen others.
Over 200 people from various opposition parties were arrested as leaders and activists of Congress, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantric) and RJD took to the streets to enforce the bandh, police said.
There was no untoward incident from anywhere while security forces were adequately deployed, particularly at strategic points, they said.
Almost all educational institutions remained closed while almost all the shops and business establishment remained shut.
However, attendance in government offices, banks and the Assembly Secretariat was normal, officials said.
Barring the main roads, cars and two-wheelers were seen plying in the bylanes, but long distance buses and trucks remained stranded on the outskirts of the city.
“The bandh was successful which reflected the people”s resentment against the Arjun Munda-led government”s anti-encroachment drive taken up without proper rehabilitation package and then the police opening fire on settlers in Islam Nagar killing one innocent person on Tuesday,” Jharkhand PCC spokesman Radkhakrishna Kishore told newsmen here.
Several Congress leaders including PCC spokesmen Radhakrishna Kishore, Pradip Tulsyan, PCC general secretary Sailesh Sinha, youth leader Alok Dubey and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantric”s) leader Rajiv Ranjan were among several bandh supporters who were arrested only to be released later, police said.
CPI, CPI(M) and CPI (ML-Liberation) observed the day as ”protest day”.
Following a High Court order, Ranchi district administration had demolished several illegal houses and structures built on government land during the past week.
On Tuesday, police fired on protesters in which one person was killed and nine others were injured. Seven policemen were also injured in the clash.
——–PTI