Nabarangpur: June 28: Nabarangpur Bandh called by Congress has affected normal life in Nabarangpur and Raighar. Party workers and leaders blocked roads at many places besides picketing in front of offices and establishments. Shops and markets remain closed and vehicular movement was also affected severely.
According to sources, the Congress called the 12-hour bandh to protest against the arrest of former Congress MP Pradip Majhi and seventeen other members of the party, who are in Umerkote Sub-Jail for ransacking the Raighara forest range office and misbehaving forest and police personnel. District administration has made elaborate security arrangements to avoid any untoward situation. Three platoons of Police personnel were deployed at Nabarangpur, Raighar and adjoining areas.
Notably, on Saturday, Pradip Majhi and Congress workers staged demonstration demanding allotment of forest land patta to tribals and conduct of a fresh survey to identify eligible BPL beneficiaries of ration cards under National Food Security Act (NFSA). As alleged, while doing demonstration in front of the Raighar forest range, the agitators turned violent and ransacked Raighar forest range office and beat up range officer.
