BJP general secretary Dipayan Chakraborty along with 26 party volunteers were picked up by the police while forcing shopkeepers to down shutters and forcing public transport vehicles off the roads, East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner, Sanjay Goyal told PTI.
Banks, markets, shops and educational institutions were closed, with government offices recording low attendance, reports said.
Government transport vehicles and a few taxis were on the roads.
Security measures have been taken with the shutdown peaceful so far.
The bandh was being supported by the opposition National People