Called by ‘Backward Classes Sangharsh Samiti’ for the demand of reservation South Chhotanagpur division closed Showed a wide impact. The committee claimed that the shutdown in Gumla and Simdega districts was unprecedented. The operation of vehicles going to Odisha, Ranchi, Chhattisgarh and Bihar was stopped. All the big and small shops in the district remained closed. Chakka jam was done in all the 12 blocks of the district.

Protesters sat on NH-23 and NH-78

National Highway-23 and National Highway-78 were blocked for hours. Bandh supporters sat on the middle of the road. Tires were burnt at many places. In Gumla’s Silafari, people caught hold of an ambulance in which passengers were being carried instead of patients. After a lot of effort, the ambulance was freed. No untoward incident has been reported from anywhere during the bandh. Gumla police, BDOs, COs and magistrates of all blocks were alerted regarding the arrest.

Operation of passenger vehicles stalled in Simdega

The operation of passenger vehicles came to a complete standstill in Simdega. All the shops remained closed from the city to the village. Even hotels, tea shops and fruit shops remained closed in the urban areas. Bandh supporters blocked the road from 5:00 am near the bus stand and Ghodbhar in the urban area. Buses plying from Simdega bus stand to Ranchi from 5:00 am also did not ply.

Five hours road jam, long queue of vehicles on NH-143

There was a long queue of vehicles on NH-143 due to road jam for about five hours near Ghorabahar. Around 10:00 am, the officials reached the jam site and urged the closed supporters to open the jam. After this the jam was opened. But after this the road was again blocked in Biru, Targa and Tukupani. The operation of heavy passenger vehicles was disrupted due to the jam.

There is no talk of increasing the wage rate by 50 percent, Gumla’s fat laborers went on an indefinite strike

Effect of bandh was also seen in Lohardaga

The effect of bandh was also seen in Lohardaga. In Lohardaga district, from 7:00 am, the office bearers and workers of ‘Backward Caste Class Committee’ were roaming around in the market requesting the businessmen to make the bandh successful. The members of the committee said that with everyone’s cooperation the bandh was 100% successful.