By IANS,
Bhubaneswar : The students’ wing of the Congress party Monday called for a shutdown in western Orissa after a student was killed in a collision with a police vehicle, officials said.
Violence erupted in Bolangir town following the death of an engineering student Saturday, after a police vehicle allegedly hit his motorcycle. Another student also died after he was “hit by police” during a baton charge.
Hundreds of students took to the streets and destroyed half a dozen vehicles and ransacked a police station.
“We have called for a western Orissa shutdown to protest against the death. We have given a list of demands. If the state government fails to fulfil our demands the protest will spread to other parts of the state,” said Chinmaya Sahu, president of the Orissa students’ wing of the Congress party.
Train services have been hit in several parts of western Orissa. The protesting students stopped passenger trains in Jharsaguda, Sambalpur and Rourkela. Vehicular movement on National Highway 6 and 42 has been hit due to the shutdown.
Shops and business establishments remained closed in several parts of Bolangir. Several schools and colleges were also closed in many districts.
The shutdown has remained peaceful so far. However, additional police forces have been deployed in Bolangir, Sambalpur and Burla.
The Orissa government Sunday ordered a judicial inquiry by a retired high court judge into the death of the student and the violence that followed.