'Bandh' disrupts bus, rail services in parts of TN

Chennai, Jun 7 (UNI) The one-day 'bandh' called by the Left parties in Tamil Nadu to protest the fuel price hike disrupted bus and rail services in some parts of the state, even as police arrested over 20,000 volunteers, when they resorted to 'rail and road roko' agitations.

The 'bandh' evoked a partial response in Tiruvarur, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Madurai, Pudukottai and North Chennai, considered to be the strongholds of the Left parties, while life was normal in most of the other parts of the state.

Barring few incidents of pelting stones on government buses at Tiruvarur and Tirupur, the dawn-to-dusk 'bandh' was peaceful, according to reports received from the police headquarters here.

Over one lakh police personnel were pressed into service to prevent any untoward incident. Those arrested, included MLAs of the CPI(M) and CPI. State unit leaders N Varadarjan and D Pandian did not take part in the stir.

Holding red flags, the Left front activists staged 'road and rail roko' agitations at several places, bringing to halt bus and train movement for a brief time, before the authorities restored normal service.

A report from Madurai said vehicular traffic was paralysed in southern districts of the state, as hundreds of 'red-shirt volunteers,' including women, stopped buses and trains.

They attempted to halt train movement in Madurai, Tirunelveli, Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar, Theni and Dindigul Districts, the report said.

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