Bangla bandh affects life in WB

Kolkata: Normal life was affected in West Bengal on Thursday following a state-wide 12-hour general strike called by Left Parties and trade unions, with the BJP also calling a 10-hour bandh to protest against alleged violence by ruling Trinamool Congress in the recent civic polls.

Hundreds of train passengers were stranded outside the Howrah and Sealdah station after all the cabs pulled out from the stands at the railway station.

While state-run buses and trams were plying on the roads, very few people were seen outside their homes. As many as four cases of state government-run buses being vandalised were reported. This apart, clashes between the ruling Trinamool Congress and CPM broke out at Jadavpur and the police arrested a few people.

The police also had to allegedly resort to lathicharge to disperse agitators after fresh clashes broke out between CPM and Trinamool Congress supporters at Asansol.

CPM supporters claim that the Trinamool Congress supporters accompanied by police officers attacked them while they were carrying out a rally. Meanwhile, the Asansol police has arrested as many as 30 agitators.

In another incident, clashes broke out at Panihati and Murshibad. Rail blockades have been put up at Basirhat, Diamond Harbour, Thakurnagar, Ballygunge, Bongaon rail lines.