Sunday, November 20 2005 11:58 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Berhampore: Congress MP Adhir Chowdhury was today (Nov 20, 2005) produced in a local court after being brought here from New Delhi as a 12-hr bandh called by the Congress began in three West Bengal districts protesting against 'political conspiracy' behind the arrest.

Supporters of the MP who had gathered before the court brick batted the police who retaliated with a lathicharge and then fired tear gas, police sources said.

Chowdhury who was arrested from his New Delhi residence yesterday and sent to Berhampore via Kolkata on a transit remand was today produced before the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate here.

The 12-hr bandh, which began at 6 am in Murshidabad, Nadia and Birbhum districts have elicited mixed response.

Markets and business establishments were closed in Berhampore and no vehicles were visible on the roads.

According to a report from Suri, the headquarter of Birbhum district, while all shops and business establishments were closed in Rampurhat and private buses were off the roads, it was open in some parts of Bolpur. The bandh did not have any impact in Suri.

Bandh supporters obstructed Visvabharati Fast Passenger train at Bolpur station. The blockade was lifted by the police within 15-20 minutes, the report said.

The bandh was being peacefully observed in most areas of Nadia district, a report from Kalyani said.

Barring trains on the Kalyani-Sealdah route, suburban local trains were not operating between the other stations in the district and Sealdah.