24-hour Tripura bandh begins,1000 arrested

Agartala, Apr 4: About 1000 Congress activists supporting the 24-hour Tripura bandh today were arrested from different parts of the state.

The bandh, which began at 0600 hrs, was sponsored by the party in support of its charter of demands.

According to official reports, reaching here from all the four districts, a number of Congress leaders and workers of various frontal organisation of the party were also arrested from different areas for vandalism.

Sources said only a few buses of the state's Road Transport Corporation (TRTC) plied, while vehicular traffic was disrupted across the state.

Most of the nationalised banks, government offices along with business and educational institutions remained closed.

However, the left-ruled state government in a release had asked all its employees to attend the offices failing which stern action would be taken.

Security has been beefed up here and in other parts of the state.

Barring, some stray incidents, no violence had been reported so far.

Meanwhile, the ruling CPI(M) led Left Front, had strongly opposed the bandh terming it as anti-people.

West Agartala Police have arranged vehicles for passengers from and to the airport. However, only one train had left for its destination from Dharmanagar before the bandh began.

UNI