Janakpurdham, August 28:

Traffic on the Mahendra Highway was halted today after the Maoists’ placed road blocks in several sections of the highway. The Maoists had called for a Mithilanchal bandh to protest the killing of Chandeshwor Mandal, Chief of the Dhanusha-based Maoist Peoples’ Government,

by the security forces on August 17. According to Tej Narayan Chaudhary, vice-president of Janakpur Zonal Bus Entrepreneurs’ Organisation, except for the buses of Agni and Makalu Yatayat, public vehicles were not seen plying on the road today. The bus drivers complained that the Maoists had called a bandh without prior notification.

Thousands of passengers were stranded after the vehicles going towards the east were stuck west of the Bagmati river in Rautahat district while those bound for west were held up near the Koshi barrage. The districts of Sarlahi, Mahottari, Dhanusha, Siraha and Saptati were brought to a standstill due to the bandh. Most markets along the highway remained closed but some shops in the district headquarters were open. A report from Siraha said all major commercial markets of the district headquarters, including Lahan, Mirchaiya and Golbazzar, were shut. The movement of vehicles on other roads of the districts was also halted. Security personnel had been dispatched to resume the traffic, the report said.