Tracks blocked, tyres burnt: Life affected during Bengal bandh

Normal life in West Bengal was partially affected on Friday due to the 12-hour state-wide bandh called by the Left Front in protest against police action on its activists during their march towards state secretariat Nabanna.

Schools in the state are scheduled to reopen during the day for students of classes 9-12 after a gap of 11 months. They were shut in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Left cadre blocked railway tracks and roads in Malda, Barddhaman, Raiganj, Asansol, Dankuni and parts of Kolkata, North 24 Parganas and Nadia districts during the bandh that began at 6 am.

Protestors burnt tyres at some places, and offered roses to policemen in other areas.

Left activists demanding jobs clashed with police in central Kolkata's Esplanade area on Thursday as they tried to break through barricades during their march towards Nabanna, leading to injuries to several participants and also the police.

Calling for a bandh in protest against the "brutal attack" by the police, Left Front chairman Biman Bose had claimed that over 150 students and young men and women were injured.

Massive police presence was witnessed on the roads during the day to ensure that public transport functioned normally.

Left Front leader Sujan Chakraborty said that people have spontaneously responded in favour of the bandh.

He said that school students have not been prevented from physically attending their classes.

Meanwhile, Indian Secular Front leader Pirzada Abbas Siddiqui extended support to the bandh.

Condemning the police action, he alleged that the Trinamool Congress government conducts administrative repression even as it opposes the "unconstitutional activities" of the Centre.