Congress gears up for Monday's Odisha bandh

Bhubaneswar: Elaborate security arrangements have been made in Odisha in view of the state-wide bandh by Congress on Monday. Security personnel have been deployed at all sensitive areas across the state, a senior police officer said.

In the state capital here, about 51 platoons of security forces (about 1700 personnel) have been deployed at different pockets while special vigil is being maintained near vital installations, he said.

The bandh has been called to protest police crackdown on Congress workers during a party rally here on Thursday, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) President Niranjan Patnaik said.

Essential services including the health and medical sector would be exempted from the bandh call, he said.