Kolkata, July 7 (IANS) Normal life was hit in tribal-dominated areas of three West Bengal districts as Maoists began a two-day shutdown Wednesday to protest the killing of their spokesperson Azad in Andhra Pradesh.
The shutdown was total in West Midnapore district’s tribal-populated areas like Binpur, Goaltore, Lalgarh and Salboni, said Deputy Superintendent of Police (Operation) Aneesh Sarkar.
Government offices were closed and buses and cars kept off the roads. Some business establishments were, however, open in Jhargram town, Sarkar said.
Maoist posters appeared in large numbers in Jhargram in support of the shutdown.
South Eastern Railway sources said that though local train movement continued unhindered, some long distance trains, including the Tata Steel Express, were cancelled.
In Bankura, the shutdown affected areas bordering West Midnapore like Sarenga and Barikul, a police official said.
In Purulia district, villages near Ayodhya Hills were adversely hit. Road traffic has stalled and shops and markets were closed, said Superintendent of Police Rajesh Yadav.
Maoist leader Azad was killed in an alleged shootout July 2 in Andhra Pradesh’s Adilabad district. The rebels claim that police killed Azad in a staged gunfight after arresting him in Nagpur.
