Jawans patrol a Maoist bastion in Palamau during Thursday’s Naxalite bandh . Picture by Saikat Chatterjee

Ranchi/Jamshedpur, Feb. 21: The Maoist bandh in Jharkhand was peaceful but the strike hit business and other activities in rural areas, driving home the point that the rebels hold sway there.

Police spokesperson DIG R.K. Mallick confirmed that no untoward incident was reported.

Traffic and other activities were on as usual in urban areas. Traffic on the national highways was light, though.

Naxalites called the one-day bandh after seven of their comrades fell to police bullets in Ghatshila. The rebels had warned people against defying the bandh.

Areas affected by the bandh included the Dhanbad division of East Central Railway, which suffered a loss of more than Rs 4 crore as no loading of coal happened at 12 places — all Naxalite strongholds.

“We did not take the risk of operating coal-laden goods trains in Naxalite bastions. Goods trains are always a soft target for the rebels,” said a senior railway official posted at Dhanbad .

Officials of South Eastern Railway (Chakradharpur division) said no trains were detained or cancelled. Some trains were diverted, though.

Public transportation on roads came to a standstill.

In Ranchi, the long-distance bus terminus wore a deserted look.

In Jamshedpur, cancellation of the bus service caused inconvenience to some students set to write their matriculation and intermediate examinations tomorrow.

Those pupils whose examinations centres are far from home — not reachable by travel the next morning — had to bank on auto-rickshaws to reach their destinations.

Taking advantage of the situation, three-wheeler drivers charged high rates. From Mango to Chandil and Chowka cost a student Rs 100 while those wishing to reach the capital were asked to pay between Rs 200 and 250.

“I have to reach the examination hall by 9.30am tomorrow. I had no other alternative but to travel to Chowka today,” said Shyamlal Mahto, an examinee who had to travel by an auto-rickshaw.

State bus owners’ association claimed that the day’s loss for the members was over Rs 2 crore. “If you include the business that the petrol pumps across the state lost, then the amount would increase by another two crore,” said a senior member of the association, Krishna Mohan Singh.