Bihar bandh: Roads blocked, schools closed
Anand Mohan Sahay in Patna
rediffnews.com
November 02, 2007 09:33 IST
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The opposition sponsored day-long Bihar bandh began in Patna on Friday
morning amid tight security to protest against the attack on
mediapersons by by ruling Janata Dal-United legislator Anant Singh and
his henchmen.

Main opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal gave the call for Bihar bandh
against the attack. Later, other opposition parties including
Congress, Lok Janshakti Party, Communist Party of India
(Marxist-Leninist) and Nationalist Congress Party supported the Bihar
bandh against the incident.

Hundreds of workers of opposition RJD, LJP, Congress and CPI (ML) have
been protesting at different places since early Friday morning.

In Patna, opposition workers blocked the main road of Patna at the
busy Dak Bungalow square and near Gandhi Maidan.

In view of the bandh call given by the opposition, all the private
schools in Patna and several districts will remain closed.

President of the Bihar Public School and Children's Welfare
Association D K Singh said that all the schools decided to close in
view of the bandh.

Private bus operators have also decided not to run their buses.

Leader of opposition in the Bihar Assembly Rabri Devi, wife of Railway
Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, had announced a Bihar bandh soon after the
attack on mediapersons on Thursday.

A NDTV reporter Prakash Singh and cameraman Habib were forcibly held
hostage for two hours, attacked and mercilessly beaten by Anant Singh
and his henchmen at his 1A Mall road official residence.

Anant Singh, a JD-U MLA from Mokama and close aide of Bihar Chief
Minister Nitish Kumar, already has over 32 criminal cases pending
against him. And he reportedly continues his illegal activities even
now.

Anant Singh along with four others were arrested and sent to Beur jail
in Patna after protests over the attacks on mediapertsons.