Nawalparasi, July 11:

Normal life in Tarai remained crippled today as well due to the general strike called by 24 organisations of indigenous communities against the Madhesi parties’ demand for declaration of Madhes as a province.

Following the bandh, vehicles stayed off the road. Tharu activists obstructed roads by placing stones and felled trees in Amarapuri, Rajhar, Kawasoti, Danda, Bardaghat and Sunwal sections of the Mahendra Highway. The strike also caused shelving of the first terminal examination of private and boarding schools.

In Rautahat, the bandh affected life in northern part of the district. All vehicles bound for several destinations from Gaur stayed off the roads, forcing passengers to travel in tangas at hefty rates. The agitators also vandalised five motorbikes in Balchanpur and Chandranigahpur on the charge of defying the bandh.

Tharu activists picketed several government offices in Chandranigahpur, including the Area Administration Office, District Forest Office and the District Land Conservation Office. Educational institutions also remained shut in the district.

Situation remained tense after cadres of the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum, claiming that activists of the Tharu Welfare Council vandalised the motorbikes of MJF cadres, seized the motorbikes belonging to TWC activists Dipendra Chaudhari and Bikram Chaudhari in Harshachowk.

A large number of security personnel were deployed to bring the situation under control, the police said.

A report from Bara district said the strike hit life in the northern part of the district. The bandh organisers obstructed the road in Chhatapipra and Simara, while a few vehicles plied in Neejgarh and Dumarwana, the Simara Area Police Office said. However, bandh’s effect was partial in Kalaiya and southern part of the district.

Another report from Nepalgunj said that life was affected in Banke and Bardiya districts. More

vehicles plied here compared to yesterday.

In Parsa, the TSC, protesting the MJF cadres’ act of beating up its cadres yesterday, called the district bandh today. Tharu activists shouting slogans against “One Madhes, One Pradesh” demand staged a rally in the Ghantaghar chowk of Birgunj. The rally converged into a corner meeting at the chowk after passing through thoroughfares.