Ranchi/Jamshedpur: The dawn-to-dusk bandh called by Kurmi outfits across the state was almost total in the rural areas and more than 900 supporters were taken into preventive custody for trying to disrupt normal life.
In the cities, however, the bandh failed to make an impact as security forces prevented supporters from causing any inconvenience.
The bandh was called by Kurmi Andolankari Manch, Kurmi Sena and Kurmi Vikas Morcha to demand Scheduled Tribe status for the community.
In rural pockets around the state capital, around 5,000 supporters hit the road at Ormanjhi, Sikidiri, Kanke, Ratu, Na-gri, Burmu, Silli, Angara, Tat-isilwai, Namkum and Tamar to enforce bandh in a phased manner but didn't resort to violence.
At Gangaghat, around 100 bandh supporters staged a demonstration on railway tracks from 7am to 8am disrupting the movement of Mumbai-Ranchi Weekly Express and Hatia-Howrah Express. Around 70 supporters were arrested from there.
SP City Aman Kumar said 580 bandh supporters were arrested from different parts of the city and kept in camp jail, Birsa Munda Football Stadium and Khelgaon. They were later released.
"We did not allow the mob to stay on the road to enforce the bandh," Kumar said.
President of Kurmi Vikas Morcha Sheetal Ohdar said bandh was successful. "In rural areas, people supported our demand," he added.
He said police bandobast prevented supporters from making any impact in Ranchi. "Police did not allow our supporters to assemble in the town area. Those who protested were arrested," he said.
In East Singhbhum, 242 bandh supporters were detained for trying to disrupt normal life. Around 60 were picked up from West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan.
"Around 242 people were taken under preventive custody from different spots along NH-33 while enforcing the bandh. They were released on PR bond in the evening. The bandh was peaceful and no reports of arson or damage to public property were reported from any part of the district," said East Singhbhum SSP Anoop Birtharay.
CRPF and district police personnel were deployed on the highway between Pardih Chowk and Baharagora along NH-33.
Long-distance buses from Sitaramdera terminus did not ply till 3pm. "More than 50 per cent buses were off the roads till late afternoon due to fear of being damaged by mobs. Services resumed in the eveningsaid Amrender Singh, a senior functionary of Jamshedpur Bus Owners Association.
On an average, around 30,000 passengers take nearly 400 buses from Sitaramdera terminus for various destinations in the state, Bihar, Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha daily.
No untoward incidents were reported from any part of Seraikela-Kharsawan. In all, 23 people were taken under preventive custody, mostly in Adityapur. They were released later," said SP Chandan Kumar Sinha.
Shops and business establishments functioned normally in Jamshedpur. Traders in Gh-atshila and Baharagora, however, kept their shutters down fearing reprisal from bandh enforcers, considering the sizeable Kurmi population there.
Kurmi Sena central secretary Biren Mahto said the bandh was total in rural belts.
"We had asked our supporters not to indulge in violence. The bandh was total in the rural belts. Till 1931, we were in the ST list before being delisted for no reason. We want that mistake to be rectified by the state government now," said Biren Mahto.
Numbers of supporters who hit the road remained 100 at Joda Mandir in Namkum, 250 in Bank Chowk, Tatisilwai, 500 at Gondli Pokhar in Angara, 700 at Jharkhand More in Silli, 100 in Thakurgaon in Burmu, 300 in Kanthitand in Ratu, 600 at Kanke Chowk, 1200 as block choak in Ormanjhi, 200 at BIT more, 50 at Gutwa Talab in Nagri," Ohdar claimed.
