TURA: The dawn to dusk bandh call given across the North Eastern region by a conglomerate of organizations under the aegis of North East Students’ Organization totally paralyzed the five districts of Garo Hills on Tuesday.
Vehicles and public were off the roads, shops and educational institutions remained shut even as police beefed up security to prevent any law and order problem.
As the bandh took effect on Tuesday morning, unidentified persons set on fire a truck parked outside the FCI godown near Najing Bazar in Tura.
The arson attacked damaged the back tyres of the vehicle but police were able to contain the fire from spreading further.
“Our patrol teams reached the scene and contained the fire from spreading further,” said West Garo Hills SP MGR Kumar.
A number of volunteers were seen out on the streets to enforce the strike during the morning hours.
A similar incident took place in nearby South West Garo Hills district as well.
According to police, miscreants tried to set on fire a truck parked on the side of a road at Malchapara village under Betasing police region early in the morning.
“There was minor damage to two tyres on the back wheel of the truck,” informed District Superintendent of Police Rituraj Ravi.
In the Jengal region of West Garo Hills where the Tura airport is located, unknown persons targeted a Mahindra pik up truck that was coming from Williamnagar region during the bandh hours by pelting stones causing damage to it’s windshield. The driver escaped unhurt.
The bandh was complete even in the minority dominated plains belt region of Garo Hills as the public, many of whom angered by the decision of the centre to pass the Citizenship Amendment Bill, supported the NESO strike bringing normal life to a standstill.
Meanwhile, anger against Tura MP Agatha K Sangma was palpable from those opposed to the bill following her decision to support the CAB in Parliament on Monday.
Anti-CAB agitators set on fire an effigy of the Tura MP in the Dainadubi region of North Garo Hills for her stand on the Citizenship Amendment Bill.
The day-long bandh had a telling effect on government work with almost all government offices, barring that of the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police, experiencing a negligible attendence for work.