Kalinga Nagar clash: Orissa, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh bandh today

The ripples of the tribal-police clash at Kalinga Nagar in Orissa, which resulted in the death of 12 tribals and one policeman last Monday, is expected to be felt in neighbouring Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh tomorrow, when the Opposition parties in the three states observe a day-long bandh over the issue.

JMM President Shibu Soren and Chhattisgarh Congress leader Mahendra Karma, who visited Kalinga Nagar yesterday to show their solidarity with the aggrieved tribals, have called for a bandh in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Orissa on January 7 in protest against the death of tribals in police-firing on January 2. Both states have large tribal populations.

The Kalinga Nagar Samukhya Parishad, a tribal body, had called for a statewide protest day on January 7 in Orissa to lodge their protest against the incident and all the Opposition political parties in Orissa had extended their full support to the call. Soren has described the police firing as "inhuman'' and "barbaric".