Bhubaneswar: In view of the state-wide bandh called by the Odisha Congress tomorrow, the petrol dealers’ association decided to shut down all fuel refilling stations across the state for 10 hours.

General Secretary of the All-India Petroleum Dealers’ Association, Sanjay Lath, informed over 3,000 fuel stations and three major depots in Odisha will remain closed from 6 AM to 4 PM on July 17. He said the decision was made purely from a safety perspective in light of the bandh.

“The closure is a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of staff, property, and customers during the protest. While this will result in an estimated revenue loss of over ₹100 crore, safety remains our top priority,” Sahu added.

The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC), led by President Bhakta Charan Das, announced the bandh with the support of eight political parties, including the Left parties and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

The bandh is being held in protest against the alleged harassment of Soumyashree Bisi, a 20-year-old student of Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore. Bisi attempted self-immolation on July 12 after reportedly receiving no action on her harassment complaint. She later succumbed to her injuries at AIIMS Bhubaneswar on July 14.

Congress has demanded the resignation of the state’s Education Minister, the local MLA, and the MP, accusing them of failing in their responsibilities toward the victim and her family.