A total shutdown has gripped four blocks of Odisha's Nabarangpur district today as the United Sufi Manch observes a peaceful 12-hour bandh. Life came to a standstill in Umerkot, Raigarh, Jharigaon, and Chandahandi, with deserted roads and locked storefronts marking the protest.
The agitation follows repeated, unheeded appeals to the government regarding four critical demands:
Subdivision status for Umerkote.
Establishment of the proposed medical college.
Setting up a maize processing unit to support local farmers.
Implementation of a fair land settlement system.
Public transport is off the roads, and all educational institutions remain closed. Leaders of the Manch stated that the bandh was a last resort after the administration failed to provide tangible results. While the protest has remained peaceful, the complete halt of essential services highlights the growing public frustration in the region.