Siraha, June 26:

Normal life in the Tarai districts of Saptari, Siraha, Sunsari and Udayapur was affected due to the bandh called by the CPN-Maoist and its sister organisations today.

The Maoists have called an indefinite bandh as a mark of protest against attacks and killing of Maoist cadres.

Bandh supporters seized an ambulance of the Community Development Service Centre (Udayapur) for defying the bandh at Simara and returned it after four hours.

Demonstrators also blocked traffic by felling trees across the road at Padampurchowk on a section of the Siraha-Chuharwa road.

Maoist cadres closed the District Land Revenue Office, Land Reforms Office, District Customs Office and Siraha municipality today.

Business entrepreneurs in Lahan municipality, demanding security, submitted a memorandum to the Lahan Area Police Office today.

Last night, Young Communist League (YCL) cadres set ablaze a bus headed for Dharan from Kathmandu at Mahaniya village development committee, police said.

Passengers travelling in the bus have been stranded and are facing much problems, police said.

Educational institutions, business centres and industries in Lahan, Mirchaiya and Golbazaar areas were closed, while vehicles chose not to venture out on the roads.

The bandh called by the Maoist-affiliated Tharu Kalyankarini Sava affected normal life in Udayapur district today as well.

The Mechi-Koshi Truck Entrepreneurs Association (MKTEA), demanding compensation for vehicles vandalised and torched by different agitating groups during bandhs, suspended the supply of goods in the eastern region for an indefinite period starting today.

MKTEA has put forth a 10-point charter of demands. “Our agitation will continue until our demands are met”, MKTEA coordinator Tika Khadka said.