A 12‑hour bandh was observed across Odisha’s Anugola district on Wednesday after the district Congress unit called for a shutdown over problems linked to coal transportation and the alleged arrest of five agitators in false cases. The bandh, which began at 6 am and continued until 6 pm, saw shops and business establishments closed and vehicular movement disrupted in several parts of the district. Congress workers staged picketing at key locations, while police deployed in large numbers to maintain law and order. Congress has demanded an immediate review of coal transport issues and the withdrawal of cases against five protesters from Kosala panchayat, who remain in judicial custody. The bandh highlights growing tensions between industrial transport needs and community welfare, with Congress pressing for urgent government intervention.