Bhubaneshwar:
The movement of trains and commercial vehicles was hit in several parts of Odisha on Thursday as the shutdown against the hike in petrol prices, called by various parties, including the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD), came into effect.
Protesters blocked roads and highways in several areas and disrupted traffic.
Train services were also hit as protesters squatted on rail tracks at the Cuttack and Bhubaneshwar railway stations. Similar protests have also been reported from other parts of the state, a senior state police official told IANS.
"There has been no report of any untoward incident from any part of the state so far. The protests have started on a peaceful note," he added.
The state units of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Left parties are organising separate protests across the state.