Normal life partially hit in Bengal in trade strike

Kolkata, Jan 8 (IANS) Rail-blockades in many railway stations and sporadic incidents across West Bengal districts partially hit normal life as the two-day nationwide strike called by central trade unions (CTUs) began on Tuesday.

Train services were disrupted both in Howrah and Sealdah division of the Eastern Railway and also South Eastern Railway.

The strike supporters put up rail blockades and clashed with the police in many stations in the suburbs in South 24 Parganas district's Lakhikantapur, Canning; North 24 Pargans' Madhaygram, Hasnabad and Barasat;

Agitators obstructed train movement in Hooghly's Rishra, Uttarpara, East Burdwan's Samudragarh, Birbhum's Rampurhat, West Burdwan's Durgapur in Howrah division of Eastern Railway and also at Uluberia in South Eastern Railway.

The CTUs have called the strike in protest against "pro-corporate, anti-national and anti-people policies of the BJP-led NDA government".

In Kolkata, though, many public and private buses were seen plying on the roads but strike supporters, who ransacked many buses and trucks, took out rallies at Jadavpur, Sovabazar and Sealdah area.

Taxis and autos mostly kept off the road and bulk of the shops remained closed.

State Minister and Trinamool Congress' Secretary General Partha Chatterjee said that the government would take all measures to maintain public utility services.

The state government has issued a circular stating its offices would remain open on strike days and no leave would be granted. It also urged banks, educational institutions including schools and colleges to remain open.

Additional police personnel have been deployed throughout the state to prevent any disruption or violence in connection with the strike.