Malkangiri : Government bus services were halted in Malkangiri and Rayagada districts today attributable to a bandh decision given by Maoists in 5 states as well as Odisha protestant against the killing of thirty naxals throughout a joint operation of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh police within the cut-off areas of Malkangiri on October 24.

The government-run buses plying on six routes of Rayagada district were commenced roads today attributable to the bandh decision. Bus services from the district headquarters to Laxmipur, Chandrapur, Sandubadi, Bandhugaon and Kashipur were off in wake of the bandh.

Paresh Kumar Thatoi, DTM, Rayagada, said, “All the government bus drivers have been asked to park their vehicles at the destination point and run usual services on November 4 morning after the DGM (operations) of OSRTC directed us not to ply the buses with so much risk in wake of the Maoist bandh call.”

The authorities also stopped bus services in bordering Lamtaput block of Koraput district. Buses plying from Anakadeli to Jeypore, Koraput and Visakhapatnam were also taken off the roads.