The bandh was called against the new sand policies of the Government of Bihar, which virtually brought sand trade to a standstill in the state
The blockade of rail and road traffic by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) workers for Bihar Bandh cost two patients their lives as their ambulances were stuck in road blockades during the bandh on Thursday.
"Somari Devi (35) was being brought for treatment to Patna from her home in Mahnar (Vaishali). However, due to chakka jam on Mahatma Gandhi Setu, her ambulance got stuck. The other deceased was Santosh Jha of Katihar district, who could not even reach the local hospital. Their relatives requested RJD workers to let the ambulance pass, but were not allowed," the police said.
The bandh was called against the new sand policies of the Government of Bihar, which virtually brought sand trade to a standstill in the state. RJD claims it has led to a sand crisis in Bihar, increase in sand price, and also rendered thousands of labourers jobless.
RJD workers raised slogans and indulged in arson at several places during the bandh. Several of the national and state highways had been blocked by the demonstrators. Most of the markets and educational institutions had shut down apprehending law and order issues.
However, on Wednesday evening, Bihar Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh had announced that sand trade would be allowed as per the old norms. "Why then did the Opposition RJD not take back its bandh call?" JD(U) MP RCP Singh said and added, "The state government has already cleared the air in the matter. Yet, they are causing inconvenience to the general public."
Tej Pratap and Tejashwi Yadav, sons of RJD President Lalu Prasad Yadav, led marches and courted arrest at Patna's Dak Bungalow crossing though Lalu himself did not hit the roads.
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