Incidents of traffic disruption, bomb throwing and firing today marked the first day of the Maoist Communist Centre of India (MCCI) sponsored two-day bandh, called to protest against the Hazaribagh district Sessions Court’s verdict awarding death punishment to three MCCI activists in the Beltu massacre case in which 14 persons were killed in 2001.DGP R.R. Prasad told The Indian Express that police had to resort to firing to disperse protestors who blasted tracks between Thapar and Barkakana. Asked if there were any casualties, he said: ‘‘We don’t know yet.’’ Later, an exchange of fire between police and agitationists at Barihatu near Bundu killed Sub Inspector Baisakha Singh. His body has been taken to RIMS hospital for post mortem.Between Dania and Dumri railway station, a 10-foot-long track was blasted by dynamite. Railway traffic was disrupted and a number of trains, including the Hatia-Pathankot Express, were running late. Trains like the Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Swarnajayanti Express were escorted by mobile police squads. As a precautionary measure, public and private bus services were withdrawn and most roads were empty as trucks didn’t pass through the Naxalite-infested Palamau, Lohardga, Gharwa, Chatra, Hazaribagh, Giridih and east Singhbhum districts, police sources said.Production in the mines of public sector companies CCL, ECL and the BCCL was normal. But loading and transportation of coal were hampered. However, the bandh remained ineffective in Ranchi, Dhanbad, Jamshedpur Bokaro, and no untoward incidents were reported from there.
