Amid Bharat Bandh called by agitating farmers unions to press for repeal of the Centre’s farm laws, a dawn-to-dusk shutdown called by the BJP in eight north Bengal districts met with mixed response on Tuesday.
The 12-hour shutdown was called by the Bharatiya Janata Party after police resorted to baton charge on its party workers on Monday killing a 50-year-old party activist in Siliguri. BJP activists and the police fought a pitched battle over a political programme.
To quell the irate mob, the police lobbed tear gas shells and used water cannons to stop the party workers and leaders from approaching towards Uttar Kanya, the state secretariat in north Bengal, for violating prohibitory orders under Section 144 Code of Criminal Procedure.
Daily life was partially hit in districts like Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Malda. Some sporadic incidents of clash were reported from Cooch Behar and Alipurduar. The BJP supporters staged agitation at Cooch Behar railway station area while another section of party activists ransacked a truck on Mathabhanga-Cooch Behar national highway.
The BJP activists also forcibly closed the North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) depot at Alipurduar. The incident sparked off tension in the area this morning. Later, the police intervened into the matter and opened the bus depot. Mal bazar area of Jalpaiguri district was also hit by the shutdown, and it wore a deserted look as most of the public transport kept off the road.IANS
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