Demand for HC Bench, spcl district status: 12-hr bandh hits life in Rourkela

Rourkela: Demanding establishment of a permanent bench of the Orissa High Court (HC) here and special district status to Rourkela, lawyers today resorted to a 12-hour dawn-to-dusk bandh disrupting normal life in the steel city.

As part of the protest, the agitating lawyers under the banner of Rourkela Bar Association staged road blockade at various places, including Panposh, Bisra Square, Chhend Colony Square, Sector 7-17 Square, Rangila Square and Vedvyas by burning tyres disrupting vehicular movements. Besides, large numbers of vehicles were stranded on both sides of national highway-143 due to the bandh.

This apart, shops and other business establishments have remained closed as the agitators staged picketing at various places in the city.

Meanwhile, various political parties and trade unions have extended their support to the bandh.