Bandh brings Odisha to a grinding halt

The 12-hour Odisha Bandh called by Congress and Left parties seeking justice for the 20-year-old girl student of FM (Autonomous) College in Balasore, who died of self-immolation over alleged sexual harassment by her teacher, brought normal life to a standstill across the state on Thursday.

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Bhubaneswar

The bandh remained by and large peaceful and no untoward incident was reported even as public transport was paralyzed and schools, colleges, markets and business establishments remained shut. Petrol pumps also remained closed around the state during the period. Essential services were hit as vehicular movement on major roads and highways was disrupted during the bandh. A majority of educational institutions remained closed as a precautionary measure while thin attendance was witnessed in government offices.