By IANS,
Ranchi: Buses stayed off the roads and national highways were deserted in many areas of Jharkhand Sunday in response to the 48-hour shutdown called by the Maoists a day earlier, officials said.
“Only one bus left from here today. In normal days, more than 20 buses leave from this bus stand,” an employee posted at the bus stand near the railway station here told IANS.
The impact was visible in more than ten districts of the state.
The worst affected districts were Gumla, Simdega, Chatra and Palamau. Trucks stayed off the national highways and coal and mining transportation too were affected in Maoist-hit areas.
The passengers were the worst sufferers.
“I had to go Simdega but could not get any bus. I am waiting since morning,” said Shankar Singh, who arrived at the Ranchi railway station Sunday morning.
The outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) had called for a 48-hour shutdown in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and Orissa from Sunday to protest the “killing” of its commander Sashadhar Mahato.
“We have put the police heads of Maoist hit districts on alert in light of the shutdown,” Jharkhand police chief G.S. Rath told IANS.