Violence marred the 24-hour Jharkhand bandh by opposition JMM today in which a police officer was injured and two vehicles were set on fire despite tight security.
The in-charge of Nawadih police station in Bokaro district Ram Chandra Ram was injured in his chest while trying to control bandh supporters who were burning tyres to block the road at Nawadih, Superintendent of Police Y S Ramesh said.
Ram has been admitted to a hospital, he added.
In another incident, a stationary bus for employees of Tata Motors was torched by bandh supporters in the early hours in Jamshedpur, deputy superintendent of police K N Mishra said.
Glass panes of some other vehicles were smashed and blockades were put up in Kolhan region, he said.
A truck from Andhra Pradesh was set ablaze by the bandh supporters on the national highway near Dhanga in East Singhbhum district, DSP Amit Kumar said.
9,284 bandh supporters were taken into preventive custody from across the state for trying to enforce the shut down as tight security was clamped under the directions of Chief Minister Raghuvar Das, police said.
JMM senior vice-president and MLA Champai Soren claimed that the bandh was successful and "historic". The police, however, issued a statement saying the bandh did not evoke much response as the day passed off peacefully, barring sporadic incidents.
RJD, CPI and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) supported the bandh called by JMM to protest against the state's recently announced domicile policy that defines, among other criteria, that anybody who has lived in Jharkhand for 30 or more years for business, employment or any other reason and has immovable property will be considered as a resident of the state.
JMM is demanding that the 1932 survey be made the cut off mark for eligibility of being a resident.
