The Left Democartic Front-sponsored dawn-to-dusk bandh to press for a judicial probe into the police action against tribal agitators at Muthanga threw life out of gear in Kerala on Tuesday.

State transport buses were off the roads and shops and markets remained closed. A majority of schools and colleges had declared a holiday. Those open reported poor attendance.

The CBSE exam scheduled for the day, however, was exempted from the bandh.

Kerala State Road Transport Corporation kept its fleet off the roads to avoid damage to buses.

Security has been stepped up across the state, police said.