Bandh cripples life, Hills normal

SILIGURI, June 5: The 12-hour bandh called by the Left Front today evoked a total response in and around Siliguri and other parts of north Bengal except the Darjeeling hills where the bandh had no effect locally. Barring the movement of a scant number of two-wheelers, almost no traffic was seen on the roads. Stranded passengers of the NJP bound Uttar Banga Express ransacked Railway property at Rangapani station in the morning when the Railway authorities failed to provide them water. At Fuleswari in Siliguri, bandh picketers stopped the Darjeeling bound Toy Train, robbing the passengers a joy ride on the World Heritage train. Life was normal in Darjeeling as people carried out their daily business and tourists moved around as usual. Vehicles were plying on all routes and the tea plantations in the surrounding areas remained open as well. However, the vehicles from Darjeeling to Siliguri plied only till Darjeeling More and back. Though the Left Front sponsored bandh was observed in other parts of Cooch Behar district today, Suktabari, a hamlet in the district, which opposed the Left Front in the panchayat polls recently, remained open. Life was normal in the village in defiance against the bandh. Business establishments, educational institutions and most government offices and financial institutions remained closed in North Dinajpur district where a clash occurred between Congress and CPI-M supporters at Islampur. Fifteen persons sustained injury in the clash. Though the LF chairman Mr Biman Bose had announced that picketers would not stop long distance trains on their way, bandh picketers detained the Gour Express and the Balurghat Passenger at Old Malda this morning. [The Statesman]