Phulbani: A dawn-to-dusk bandh was observed at the block headquarters town of Tikabali in Odisha’s Kandhamal district Tuesday, demanding action over the recent alleged gangrape and murder of a minor girl.
The bandh call was given jointly by the ‘Banik Sangha’, ‘Nari Surakshya’, ‘Mahila Mahasangha’ and ‘Kandhamal Pragati Mahasangha’.
Normal life was affected due to the strike as shops, educational institutions and other commercial establishments remained closed during the day.
The agitation was launched after the police Sunday recovered the charred skeleton of a 16-year-old girl from a forest in neighbouring Ganjam district.
The police have arrested four persons for their alleged involvement in the crime, an officer had earlier said.
The girl had reportedly gone with her lover February 27, but did not return following which her family lodged a missing case at Tikabali police station.
