Odisha's Kandhamal district dawn-to-dusk bandh called by BJP Mahila Morcha

Shops and commercial establishments, educational institutions, offices, banks, post offices, petrol outlets remained closed during the 12-hour shut-down.

Normal life was hit in Odisha's Kandhamal district Friday due to a dawn-to-dusk bandh called by BJP Mahila Morcha demanding death sentence to the accused in the rape and murder of a minor girl and arrest of a former BJD MLA for the alleged assault of women.

Shops and commercial establishments, educational institutions, offices, banks, post offices, petrol outlets remained closed during the 12-hour shut-down.

Vehicular traffic also came to a grinding halt in many places such as Phulbani, Balliguda, Tikabsli, Kotagarh, Daringbadi, and Tumudibandha as activists of BJP women wing staged picketing, police said.

The bandh call was given by Kandhamal district Unit of BJP Mahila Morcha demanding death sentence to the alleged rapist and killer of the minor girl of Kotagarh and adequate compensation to the bereaved family.

Shops and commercial establishments, educational institutions, offices, banks, post offices, petrol outlets remained closed during the 12-hour shut-down.

The bandh remained peaceful with no report of any untoward incident being received from any part of the district, said Additional Superintendent of Police, Utkal Ranjan Das.