<p>Puducherry experienced significant disruption due to a day-long bandh organized by the I.N.D.I.A. bloc on Wednesday. The protest was in response to the recent increase in power tariffs and the territorial government’s plan to privatize the power sector. The bandh severely impacted daily life in the region, including an incident of violence that resulted in injuries.</p>
<p>Protest demonstrations were held by various political leaders and supporters, including those from the Congress and DMK parties. They voiced their opposition to the rising power tariffs and the proposed privatization of the power sector, which they believe could exploit consumers and negatively impact agriculture. The I.N.D.I.A. bloc also criticized the potential introduction of pre-paid meters.</p>
<p>The protest turned violent when a sixty-year-old woman traveling on a government-owned bus sustained injuries after a group of assailants threw stones at the vehicle at Nellithope junction. The bus, which was heading to a local terminal, suffered damage, and the injured passenger was rushed to a nearby hospital. The police have launched an investigation into the incident, and a case has been filed.</p>
<p>Private transport services were entirely halted, while government buses continued to operate under heavy police protection. Police presence was heightened across key locations to maintain order. As a result, the local bus terminal and main commercial areas were unusually deserted.</p>
<p>Most businesses, including shops, vegetable markets, hotels, and tea stalls, remained closed throughout the day. The Director of School Education, P Priyadharshini, issued a directive to close all schools, including private institutions, for the day. However, schools for grades IX to XII were exempted from this closure due to ongoing mid-term examinations.</p>
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<p dir=”ltr” lang=”en”>Puducherry | Classes will be suspended today (Wednesday) for standards 1 to 8 in all government and private schools in the Puducherry region. Classes 9 to 12 will function as usual.<br /><br />INDIA alliance has called for a bandh in Puducherry over the current hike in power tariff. <a href=”https://t.co/7ejhhSldM3″>pic.twitter.com/7ejhhSldM3</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href=”https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1836214526405956055?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>September 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
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