Normal life was disrupted in pockets of Maoist-hit southern and western districts of Orissa today, the second and last day of the 48-hour bandh imposed by the ultras against the police action at Lalgarh.
The shutdown had little impact in urban centres but in rural areas like Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Sundargarh, Sambalpur and Deogarh districts, shops and business establishments downed shutters and vehicles kept off the roads, official sources said.
Security was tightened and police partolling intensified in these district as a precautionary measure to prevent any untoward incident during the bandh.
Orissa's borders with Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal were sealed as part of measures to prevent entry of unwanted elements, police said.
"No major incident has been reported so far today. Our men are keeping a strict vigil," a senior police officer said.
Vehicular movement was affected and shops remained closed in areas like Kalimela, Motu, MV-79, Beijangwada and Padia in Malkangiri district where two maoists were killed in a pre-dawn encounter with the police yesterday.
Life remained unaffected in the district headquarter town of Malkangiri, where shops and business establishments remained opened, though roads wore a deserted look with very few people venturing out.
Similar reports were received from rural pockets of Koraput and Rayagada districts.
Road communication between Narayanpatna and Laxmipur in Koraput remained affected due to felling of trees by Maoists.
In Birmitrapur and Rajgangpur areas of Sundargarh district shops remained closed and vehicles kept off the roads, while in the industrial town of Rourkela the bandh had little impact.
