Jamshedpur: The Bharat Bandh called by Congress and other opposition parties evoked mixed response in the city and the district.
Police security saw the bandh supporters being taken under preventive custody soon after they came out at major roundabouts to enforce bandh across city with the total arresting touching 800 and no incident of violence being reported from anywhere.
Cheapest mode of conveyance, private town buses, remained off the road till evening. The city roads wore deserted view as shops, other commercial establishments and petrol pumps etc. remained closed in downtown Jugsalai, Sakchi, Bistupur, Golmuri and other areas during the bandh. The educational institutions and other essential services remained opened.
Tatanagar Station director, H. K Balmuchu said that train services was not affected by the bandh.
Shops adopted a wait and watch policy in the morning hours and gradually opened their shutters by noon.
East Singhbhum SSP Anoop Birtharay, termed the bandh as entirely peaceful. �Not a single damage to private or government property has been reported from anywhere in the district.
The bandh was entirely peaceful. Due to effective planning we were able to take bandh supporters under preventive custody, as soon as they gathered to enforce bandh.
We have prepared a special camp jail in Sabuj Kalyan Sangh (Telco) where all arrested bandh supporters have been kept. They will be released in the evening,� said Anoop Birtharay.
Congress state president and former Jamshedpur MP, Ajoy Kumar started a footmarch from district party office at Tilak Pushtalaya in Bistupur at around 11 am with nearly 100 supporters and marched for nearly a kilometer and courted arrest near Bistupur Roundabout by Bistupur police at around 12.30 pm.
�The bandh was total and peaceful with support from all sections of the society. Small and medium traders across the city kept their shops shut in response to the bandh.
We have received good response for the bandh as traders have joined call to support the one-day bandh. Major markets of grain, fruits and vegetables, onion remained shut,� said a Congress leader.
