Ranchi, July 25: Jharkhand braced for yet another state-wide bandh on Friday, the fourth in eight days, called by an anti-domicile group in protest against violence during the pro-domicile shutdown on Wednesday as the police clamped curfew in three police station areas in the capital city.
Anti-domicile Jharkhand Yuva Chatra Sangharsh Samitee leader Uday Shanker Ojha, announcing the bandh here on Thursday, said "after 24 hours we will decide whether to increase the duration."

Jharkhand Ukpekshit Manch, Jharkhand Sangarsh Manch and 38 other anti-domicile groups had extended support to the bandh, he claimed.

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Meanwhile, an uneasy calm prevailed in Ranchi, the epicentre of Wednesday's violence which left five dead, with many shops keeping their shutters down. IG (operation) R C Kaithal said that curfew was clamped in Doranda, Hatia and Jagannathpur at 5:00 am on Thursday morning and would remain in force for 24 hours.

He, however, described the situation in the state capital as "perfectly all right".

Parliamentary Affairs Minister and Samata Party legislature party leader Ram Chandra Kesari appealed to the anti-domicile groups not to go ahead with Friday's bandh.
Kesri said that he would speak to Chief Minister Babulal Marandi to ban bandhs for at least a year in the state as it was hampering progress.

In Jamshedpur, general secretary of All-Jharkhand Students Union (Besra), Surya Singh Besra, also disapproved frequent bandhs, saying Friday's bandh was unjustified.
Bureau Report