Trinamul does its bit to cripple life
Posted by barunroy on June 7, 2008
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| Bandh supporters stop a vehicle at Champasari More in Siliguri on Friday. Picture by Kundan Yolmo |
June 6: Normal life in north Bengal was affected for the second day running today in response to the 12-hour bandh called by the Trinamul Congress to protest against fuel price hike. The Left Front had called a bandh yesterday over the same issue.
For the first time in 32 years, an Opposition-sponsored bandh was successful in Toofanganj, a CPM stronghold in Cooch Behar. All shops and establishments were closed, and vehicles were off the roads.
Several government offices were, however, open today in north Bengal, leading to trouble in Islampur when Trinamul supporters ransacked the premises of the water resources department after the staff had turned up for work.
According to police, the bandh supporters forced their way into the office and asked the employees to leave. They then broke computers and furniture and dispersed when the police arrived a little later. Five persons were arrested. Other Trinamul workers then started an agitation at the police station, demanding the release of the arrested persons.
The agitation continued late into the evening, as reports came in from several places during the day that scuffles had broken out between shopkeepers, who wanted to raise shutters, and Trinamul supporters.
In North Dinajpur, 15 Trinamul members were arrested by the GRP when they squatted on the railway tracks at Dalkhola station under Northeast Frontier Railway’s Katihar division. Train services were not affected.
The subdivisional officer in Cooch Behar’s Mathabhanga, Aninda Kar, was prevented from entering his office by the Trinamul members. The police arrived and wielded lathis to remove the agitators.
In Alipurduar, the divisional railway manager and other employees were stopped from attending office till 11am. Tea gardens in the Dooars were not affected by the bandh.
Shops, banks and schools were closed as majority of people enjoyed a second day of forced holiday in Siliguri. Transport was off the roads till a little before 6pm. [The Telegraph]
