Balasore bandh over student death disrupts traffic on NH-16
The shutdown, observed from 6am to 2pm, led to the closure of markets, offices and educational institutes as locals united in demanding justice for the student, who had set herself ablaze on her college campus on July 12 over alleged inaction against sexual harassment by a faculty member, and succumbed to her injuries on Monday night.
Demonstrations were held throughout the district with protesters blocking key junctions, including Station Square and Fakir Mohan Golai Chowk in Balasore town, burning tyres and disrupting vehicular movement.
Traffic on NH-16 came to a standstill near Uttereswar in Soro as BJD workers, led by Soro MLA Madhab Dhada, blocked the route. The traffic bottleneck persisted till around 3pm.
"I was going from Paradip to Kolkata. Traffic has been stopped due to a strike call by BJD. Many trucks have been stranded here since 6am. We don't know when the vehicles will be allowed to move," Shaikh Faruq, a stranded truck driver, said earlier.
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"We are protesting against the govt's inaction. The girl sought help multiple times but her pleas were ignored. Her death will not go in vain," said Dhada, while addressing media persons during the protest.
Shops, govt and private offices, schools and colleges remained closed across the district. Only emergency services such as ambulances and hospitals were allowed to operate. The bandh impacted Balasore town and major blocks, including Soro, Simulia, Khaira, Nilagiri, Remuna, Basta, Baliapal, Jaleswar and Bhograi.
Train services were also severely affected. Several trains, including passenger services passing through Balasore railway station, were delayed or halted as agitators protested on the tracks in Balasore and Soro.
BJD members blamed the college administration, local police and the state govt for gross negligence, alleging that her repeated appeals for help were ignored, forcing her to resort to self-immolation.
"The bandh is not just a protest; it is a collective cry for justice. A young life was lost due to the apathy of those in power. We demand an impartial inquiry and strict action against all those responsible, including the college principal. We also demand the resignation of higher education minister Suryabanshi Suraj and CM Mohan Charan Majhi," said Sabita Sahoo, chairperson of Balasore Municipality.
She said the bandh also serves as a warning to the govt to take immediate steps to prevent such tragedies in the future.
BJP's Balasore Sadar MLA Manas Dutta said, "While the state govt has already initiated swift action over the incident, the bandh serves no real purpose. BJD called the bandh merely to stay in the limelight. The bandh had zero impact and was rejected by the people."
DIG (eastern range) Satyajit Naik said that around 15 platoons of police forces were deployed at sensitive locations to maintain law and order. He said the bandh was largely peaceful, with no major violence reported.
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