Baripada, Sept. 23: A dawn-to-dusk strike called by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha in Mayurbhanj district to protest against the decision to liquidate the Urban Co-operative Bank caused inconvenience to people.

The second demand was immediate refund of depositors' money. The party also demanded to declare Mayurbhanj district as drought-hit in the wake of deficient rainfall.

In response to the strike call, business activity came to a halt in the district today. All the business establishments and shops downed their shutters. The roads wore a deserted look as buses, trucks and lorries stayed off roads. However, schools, colleges and other educational institutions were not closed. Though government offices and courts were opened, they could not function. Moreover, except the Bangiriposhi-Bhubaneswar Express, no other trains could run.

The strike's effect was felt across the district, including Karanjia, Rairangpur, Udla and Baripada, the district headquarters town.

JMM state general secretary Kainga Keshari Jena said: "The RBI had cancelled the bank's registration in October last year. In another development, the recovery of outstanding loans was made aggressively. But all of sudden after eleven months, when the sick bank was recovering, a liquidator was appointed for unknown reasons."

Bank director Narattam Panigrahi said: "It still has about Rs 32 crore left to be recovered, and had some more time been given, it could have been achieved. Moreover, if the state government would have extended a support of around Rs 15 crore, the bank could have recovered."

Baripada resident Ashok Dalabehera said: "The bank was established with the contribution of people of Mayurbhanj, and it was helping small-time depositors and traders a lot. Its closure would be a great setback to the people of this tribal-dominated district."