A groom headed to his wedding was allegedly stranded on Thursday after Bharat Bandh protesters blocked the National Highway-16 causing a traffic jam. According to OTV, the incident took place at Jaydev Vihar Square in Bhubaneswar.
The groom, identified as Abdul Faim Khan, was heading to Khordha from Balasore's Soro for his marriage when he was stopped by demonstrators at the busy intersection.
In a video shared by the news channel, the groom is seen appealing to the protesters to allow his vehicle to proceed. "We knew about the Bandh today, but our marriage date had been finalised long before. We have already incurred expenses on the wedding and cannot make any changes now,” the groom was quoted as saying by Odisha TV.
The situation continued to remain tense at the spot for a prolonged period as several vehicles kept queuing up the highway.
In a later development, local police intervened and cleared the traffic jam by removing protesters from Jaydev Vihar Square after the National Highway had remained blocked for a longer time. The protesters were reportedly detained at the spot.
Similar scenes of stranded vehicles were reported on the Khordha–Cuttack stretch.
Alongside road blockades, transport services, including state-run Ama bus, shops and markets, educational institutions, and factories remained affected in Odisha.
Additionally, the GNM (General Nursing and Midwifery) second-year paper 3 examination, which was supposed to be held today, was postponed due to the Bandh, and will now be held on Feb.16.
Local reports also stated several protesters attempted to enter Rourkela railway station in a bid to halt train services.
Who Has Given Strike Call And Why?
Several central trade unions and farmer organisations have called for a Bharat Bandh in protest against the Union Government's labour policies and the India-US interim trade agreement.
The Bandh being observed from 6 am to 6 pm has reportedly affected normal life across several parts of the country.
Major trade unions, including CITU, AITUC, INTUC, HMS and UTUC, joined the bandh. More than 50 organisations from the country have extended their support.
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