, Nov 15 (PTI) A 12-hour Assam bandh called by six communities demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status drew a mixed response on Tuesday, with normal life being disrupted in parts of the state.

A number of bandh supporters were also arrested by police, officials said.

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The strike was called jointly by different organisations of Tai Ahom, Chutia, Koch-Rajbongshi, Adivasi, Matak and Moran communities, who have been demanding ST status. Reacting to the shutdown call, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said people have the right to protest in a democratic country.

He added that his cabinet colleagues were regularly in touch with the leaders of the communities over their demands.

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The bandh evoked mixed response in parts of Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Golaghat, Jorhat and Lakhimpur districts, as per reports.

Supporters of the strike burnt tyres on the roads, while commercial establishments remained mostly closed and public transport was thin, the officials said.

The protesters warned of intensifying the agitation if the communities were not accorded the ST status at the earliest.

Police said adequate measures were taken to thwart any untoward incident.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)