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VHP activist killed in Bihar strike violence

An activist of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad was killed in the violence during the dawn-to-dusk general strike in Bihar called by the ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal to protest against the Centre's recommendation to dismiss the state government.

Rapid Action Force personnel staged a flag march in the industrial town of Ranchi in south Bihar to instil confidence among the people, reports reaching the capital Patna said.

According to official sources, 20 RJD supporters damaged a puja pandal in Bhagalpur. When the VHP activist protested, he was shot dead.

Prabhas Chandra Tiwari, member of Parliament from Bhagalpur, alleged that former MP Chunchun Prasad was leading the armed gang which killed the activist.

Reports from Ranchi said shops and business establishments were closed. But vehicular traffic remained unaffected. Attendance in banks and other financial institutions was near normal.

RJD Ranchi district chief, Abhay Singh, said the bandh call evoked "near-total" response in the region. But the pro-Jharkhand parties described the strike as a "flop".

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (Soren) vice-president Suraj Mandal said the people completely ignored the strike called by the "anti-Jharkhand" RJD.

"The bandh failed to have an impact on normal life in Jharkhand," Jharkhand People's Party working president Devshoren Bhagat said.

But the Samajwadi Party's Ranchi district chief Azam Ahmad thanked the people of Jharkhand for observing a "total bandh" and expressing solidarity with the Bihar government which was facing a threat from the "communal" Bharatiya Janata Party. The Samajwadi Party and the RJD together constitute the National Democratic Front.

A report from Samastipur said supporters of the strike held the drivers and guards of the Barauni-Kanpur Express and Avadh-Assam Express hostage at Dhauli and Siwan stations, respectively. The Gangasagar Express was cancelled while the Jan Seva Express, Cochin Express, Kath Godam Express, Howrah Express, Tata Express, and Vaishali Express were stranded at Barauni.

RJD supporters also locked Marjadwa station in the Narkatiaganj-Raxaul section of the North-Eastern Railway, disrupting train services. Rail tracks were also damaged between Simri and Baktiyarpur stations.

UNI

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