Baripada: Normal life was affected in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj on Saturday due to a 12-hour bandh being observed in the district over the death of a Class V student recently.
Commercial establishments remained closed in Baripada, Rairangpur, Udala and Karanjia sub-divisions during the dawn-to-dusk shutdown called by Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and supported by Congress.
Educational institutions including schools and colleges have also been shut as hundreds of BJD and Congress workers and leaders continued protest over the incident.
While BJD leaders raised slogans outside a court demanding a judicial inquiry into the incident, Congress leaders carried out a rally on motorcycles in Baripada town. “The Government must focus on the sub-standard food in schools. We demand a judicial inquiry by a sitting High Court judge into the incident. Criminal cases must be filed to punish those responsible,” said a protester.
There have been several protests over the death of 12-year-old student of Rasagobindapur Ashram School, Rupali Beshra on April 13. Apart from Rupali, 146 others of the school were hospitalised after reportedly eating breakfast.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has announced a compensation of Rs 3 lakh for her family of the deceased, and ordered a probe by the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), Central Division.
