Bhubaneswar, July 17 -- Odisha Congress President Bhakta Charan Das on Thursday said that the state bandh called by opposition parties has received strong support from the public, with thousands of party workers holding protests across districts.

Opposition parties in Odisha, led by the Congress, called a statewide bandh today to protest the death of a college student who set herself on fire in Balasore.

Speaking to ANI, Bhakta Charan Das said, "...Thousands of cadres of the eight opposition parties are protesting in their respective districts. We are receiving huge support for the Odisha bandh...The public is also supporting the bandh and demanding justice for the victim..."

Security forces were deployed, and petrol pumps remained clo...