Normal life was affected in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts of West Bengal on Saturday due to a 24-hour bandh called by several parties to protest the murder of a school-going girl in Siliguri.

Shops were shut and most of the vehicles remained off the roads in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong, Mirik and other areas in response to the bandh called jointly by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, Hamro Party and CPRM.

However, essential services were kept out of the purview of the bandh, which began at 6 am.

This was the first major bandh in the hills of northern West Bengal after six years since the 105-day shutdown in 2017 for Gorkhaland statehood.

Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) chief Anit Thapa has said that he neither supported nor opposed the bandh.

"Those who called the bandh will have to understand that the matter is sub-judice," he said.

The body of the girl was found in a dilapidated house in Matigara area on Monday evening. Police said they have already arrested the accused, who tried to sexually assault her but as she resisted, he bludgeoned her to death.

The stone with which the girl was attacked was also recovered, they said.

The girl was a class 11 student of a Nepali-medium school. She was returning home from school, when the accused intercepted her, police said.

On Thursday, a 12-hour shutdown in Siliguri called by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) over the issue affected daily lives.

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