Patna, Dec 01: Disruption of train services and stray incidents of violence marked the dawn-to-dusk Bihar bandh, called by the Indian Federal Democratic Party against attacks on Biharis in Assam, which evoked a mixed response. Nearly 600 IFDP workers, including its general secretary and MP from Purnia, Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, were detained in Patna and other parts of the state while forcibly enforcing the bandh, Inspector General of Police (headquarters) Neelmani said.
Police held Yadav with nearly 100 supporters near Kargil Chowk under Gandhi Maidan police station here while obstructing traffic and forcing closure of shops to enforce the bandh.
Railway sources said train traffic was badly hit during the Bandh with 3008 dn Toofan Express, 611 up Patna-Buxar passenger and 514 Gulzarbagh-Buxar passenger trains stranded for several hours at Ara station under Danapur division.
306 dn Darbhanga-Jaynagar passenger train was halted under Samastipur division, 5542 Janki Express was stranded at Purnia court station and 334 dn Saharsa-Forbesganj Express was halted for several hours at Saharsa, East Central Railway (ECR) sources said.
Major markets remained closed in Pappu Yadav's constituency, Purnia, as also in Bhagalpur and Madhepura and little vehicular traffic was seen during the day, reports from districts said.
Most schools in the state capital were closed as a precautionary measure but attendance in central and state government offices and banks was normal.
IFDP claimed that several of its workers were injured when RJD hoodlums attacked them at Subzibagh here and in police lathicharge in the state capital, which was denied by the police. Bureau Report