Clashes mark Bihar bandh
2,000 SP men held in UP

PATNA, Nov 9 (PTI) — Sporadic incidents of minor clashes and smashing of windscreens of vehicles by Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha (RLM) supporters marred the dawn-to-dusk Bihar bandh today called to protest the rise in prices of essential commodities and alleged false implication of RJD President Laloo Prasad Yadav in the fodder scam.

In UP where the Samajwadi Party, a constituent of the RLM, withdrew the bandh call after the Allahabad High Court declared it unlawful, about 2,000 party workers were arrested throughout the state when they staged demonstrations and dharna defying prohibitory orders, officials said in Lucknow.

The arrested included one MP and 25 MLAs.

However, the party claimed that its two lakh activists were taken into custody and alleged that police lathi-charged "peaceful demonstrators" in Sitapur and Balia districts to disperse them.

RLM and Samajwadi Party President Mulayam Singh Yadav had given a call for a simultaneous 12-hour bandh in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh last week after meeting Laloo Prasad Yadav, under detention in a fodder scam case in Patna.

Officials in Patna said barring sporadic incidents of minor clashes and smashing of windscreens of vehicles by RLM supporters, the bandh remained peaceful.

Inspector General of Police (Railways) Ashis Ranjan said the movement of trains was not affected as the Railways was kept out of the purview of the bandh. However, unofficial reports said RJD supporters squatted on railway tracks at Darbhanga and Pupri, affecting the movement of trains for some time.

Attendance in state and central government offices was partially affected but banks and insurance companies transacted normal business.