Maoist shutdown hits road traffic in Odisha

Bhubaneswar  :  Commercial vehicles in the interiors of Odisha stayed off the roads Thursday due to a statewide shutdown called by the Maoists against the central government’s economic policy, particularly hiking diesel prices and putting a cap on subsidised cooking gas cylinders.

Normal life was affected in Narayanpatna area of Koraput district and Kalyansinghpur area of Rayagada district as the rebels felled trees on roads at some places.

“The Maoists have felled trees in some places of Kalayansinghpur area for the first time,” Vinod Lakra, a police officer from the region told IANS.

Operators have kept their vehicles off the roads apprehending attacks, he said.

The Kashipur-Niyamgiri area committee of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist has circulated posters and banners in areas considered as their stronghold, appealing to people to oppose the central government’s economic policy.

The rebels are active in more than half of Odisha’s 30 districts. However, the impact of the 24-hour shutdown has not been felt so far in other parts of the state.