Shutdown hits life in Mayurbhanj

Normal life in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district was disrupted Saturday in a 12-hour shutdown by the state unit of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).

The shutdown was called to press for the setting up of a permanent bench of Orissa High Court here, refund of deposit to the customers of the now defunct Baripada Urban Cooperative Bank and development of railways in Mayurbhanj district.

It passed off peacefully and government offices, courts, educational institutions, banks and post offices did not function.

Business and commercial establishments and shops downed their shutters and vehicular traffic kept off the road in the district.

District Bar Association extended its support to the agitation.

Supporters of the shutdown picketted at the collectorate premises but the district collector Vineet Bharadwaj attended office with police security.

They later burnt the district collector's effigy and shouted slogans against him.

State JMM president Mahesh Hembram, secretary Kalinga Keshari Jena, the party's Mayurbhanj district president Fagu Hansda, district Bar Association president Prabir Basa and general secretary Biplab Barik led the protests here.