Raipur, July 14 (IANS) A dawn to dusk shutdown called by the opposition Congress in Chhattisgarh Tuesday to protest the killing of at least 29 policemen by Maoists crippled life across all 18 districts with the public and business houses voluntarily joining it.
According to initial reports reaching here, the shutdown was total in all urban areas, including Raipur, Bhilai, Bilaspur and Jagdalpur — the headquarters of the restive Bastar region.

In rural areas too a curfew-like situation prevailed. People also observed the shutdown in Dantewada, Bijapur and Kanker districts that have a large Maoist presence.

All schools and business establishments were closed for the day. Buses and private vehicles remained off the roads.

At least 29 policemen were killed Sunday in three separate attacks in Rajnandgaon district in the state’s western region. The deceased included District Superintendent of Police Vinod Kumar Choubey, 49.

This is for the first time in over three decades of Maoist insurgency in the state that an official of such a high rank has been killed by the insurgents.

Several social groups and industry, including the Chhattisgarh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, extended support to the shutdown to express anger over a string of Maoist attacks in the state that has witnessed the violent deaths of over 1,500 people since it came into existence in November 2000.