By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, September 18, 2017: Five-hour hartal by Biju Janata Dal (BJD) against fuel price hike on Monday turned violent with several incidents reported about misbehaviour towards commuters including women, journalists, working professionals, patients and students.

The BJD protesters damaged the vehicles, burnt tyres, stopped ambulance carrying patients and disrupted normalcy in the state capital.

The police preferred to stand idle by not taking any action against the goons and there were no police deployed at the protest sites in posh areas like Chandrasekharpur and Patia in the morning.

Police Commissioner YB Khurania said that immediate action will be taken against the culprits after verifying the CCTV footages if the complaint will be lodged by the hartal victims.

The strike against fuel price hike by Union government could have been peaceful if it was carried out properly without hurting common people.

Police failed to maintain law and order after the BJD activists launched protest in all the district headquarters.

Roads were blocked across the Capital city here and all major traffic junctions shut by the party picketers. Various media houses, journalists too were not allowed to commute on the main roads.

Incidents of violence were reported from almost all districts while schools and colleges, railway services and public life were disrupted.