The Bihar government has sounded a red alert in view of Friday's statewide bandh called by opposition parties to protest against the killing of three youths in a 'fake' encounter by police in Patna last weekend.

An official in the state home department said that the government was taking all precautionary measures in the backdrop of large-scale violence during the opposition-sponsored Patna bandh on Tuesday.

Sources said all police stations were on high alert and patrolling was increased all across the state.

The Director General of Police, R R Prasad, told rediff.com that the police was taking all measures to maintain law and order.

The government also pressed into service two companies of the Rapid Action Force.

Partners in the National Democratic Alliance, including the Bharatiya Janata Party, Samata Party, Janata Dal-U, Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India-Marxist, will participate in the bandh.