Maoists call for shutdown in Jharkhand in protest of Land Acquisition Act

Maoists on Thursday called for a 24-hour shutdown of Jharkhand in protest against the government's Land Acquisition ordinance.

Earlier in the day, the left wing separatists had also blown up railway tracks in the Gomoh, Bokaro and Dhanbad regions of the state. The shutdown had an impact as no public transport was available for daily commuters.

"The shutdown has caused inconvenience. People are stranded here. There is no mode of transportation for passengers," said a resident, Gulfam.

In December, the Union Cabinet had approved the amendment of the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013, stating that the owners of land acquired via laws exempted under the act will now be eligible for a similar compensation.