Odisha Braces for INDIA Bloc Shutdown as Police Mobilize

State Congress president Bhakta Charan Das called on the public to participate, characterizing the movement as a resistance against perceived democratic erosion. Vice President Santosh Singh Saluja echoed this sentiment, alleging that the republic is under threat from systematic vote manipulation. While party organizers have urged their workers to maintain a peaceful protest, the impact is already visible in cities like Sambalpur, where schools, colleges, and local markets have shuttered, and rail traffic faced early disruptions.

Police Commissioner Suresh Devdutt Singh confirmed that 150 officers are being deployed to manage the fallout of the strike. Authorities are focusing their resources on protecting critical infrastructure, including national highways and railway lines, to prevent total paralysis of the transport network. While the police acknowledge the right to protest, they have issued a clear mandate for demonstrators to avoid impeding essential services, such as access to hospitals, as the state prepares for a day of widespread disruption.