Rabri Devi, leader of opposition in Bihar Assembly and wife of Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav was arrested along with several RJD legislators and former ministers in Patna on Friday for disrupting law and order during a statewide opposition sponsored day-long Bihar bandh to protest against the attack on mediapersons by ruling Janata Dal-United legislator Anant Singh and his henchmen.
Besides, over 2,000 people including workers and leaders of the opposition parties were arrested across Bihar during their protest on Friday, police sources told rediff.com in Patna.
Clad in a white sari, Rabri Devi took to the roads to protest against two-year-old Nitish Kumar government.
"She shouted slogans against the attacks on mediapersons like an ordinary RJD worker with a green flag in her hand," a RJD leader said.
Normal life was affected in the state during the opposition sponsored day-long Bihar bandh began on Friday morning amid tight security to protest against the attack on mediapersons.
The bandh has affected life in Bhagalpur, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Barh, Munger ,Purnea and several places in the state.
Main opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal gave the call for Bihar bandh against the attack. Later, other opposition parties including Congress, Lok Janshakti Party, Communist Party of India, CPI-M, Bahujan Samaj Party, Sanmajwadi Party, CPI (Marxist-Leninist) and Nationalist Congress Party supported the Bihar bandh against the incident.
Hundreds of workers of opposition RJD, LJP, Congress and CPI (ML) have been protesting at different places since early Friday morning.
In Patna, opposition workers blocked the main road of Patna at the busy Dak Bungalow square and near Gandhi Maidan.
In view of the bandh call given by the opposition, all the private schools in Patna and several districts will remain closed.
President of the Bihar Public School and Children's Welfare Association D K Singh said that all the schools decided to close in view of the bandh.
Private bus operators have also decided not to run their buses.
Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly Rabri Devi, wife of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, had announced a Bihar bandh soon after the attack on mediapersons on Thursday.
A NDTV reporter Prakash Singh and cameraman Habib were forcibly held hostage for two hours, attacked and mercilessly beaten by Anant Singh and his henchmen at his 1A Mall road official residence.
Anant Singh, a JD-U MLA from Mokama and close aide of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, already has over 32 criminal cases pending against him. And he reportedly continues his illegal activities even now.
Anant Singh along with four others were arrested and sent to Beur jail in Patna after protests over the attacks on mediapersons.
