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Bandh brings Orissa to a standstill

Life in Orissa was affected today by a dawn-to-dusk bandh (general strike) called by all major political parties in the state barring the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Biju Janata Dal.

The ruling Congress and the opposition Janata Dal (Secular), Communist Party of India, CPI (Marxist), Forward Bloc, Socialist Unity Centre of India, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal and Gana Abitijan Orissa have called for the strike in protest against the gruesome murder of shopkeeper Sheikh Rehman at Padiabeda village in Mayurbhanj district last Thursday.

All major markets in the state capital Bhubaneswar and educational institutions throughout the state were closed.

Plying of both government and private buses has been suspended till evening. Government offices also reported thin attendance.

A report from Cuttack said the biggest trading centre, Malgodwan, was closed.

Work in the Orissa high court was disrupted as lawyers did not turn up. The Orissa High Court Bar Association adopted a resolution yesterday to join the strike.

UNI

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