Bhubaneswar, Sep 9 : Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Sunday said it will not support the Bharat Bandh called by the Congress against fuel price rise on Monday. The party, however, said it was against the hike in fuel prices.

"We have been holding protests across the state since last three days to make the people aware about the steep price rise of the petroleum products. We are not supporting the Bharat Bandh," said BJD spokesperson Sasmit Patra.

However, the government has declared that schools will remain closed on Monday to ensure the safety of the students.

Meanwhile, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) President Niranjan Patnaik appealed to the people to make the shutdown a success.

He said the party MLAs would not attend the Assembly on Monday as they would participate in the bandh call.

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Shivpuri (PTI): The 60-year-old mother of a rape accused was killed allegedly by the victim's brother in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district, a police official said on Saturday.

The incident took place on Friday, Rannod police station house officer (SHO) Arvind Chauhan said.

"An anganwadi worker returning from a hospital was offered a lift by one Inder Gurjar, who took her to a secluded spot and raped her. She called up her brothers to narrate the ordeal. One brother of the victim along with two associates went to Gurjar's house and assaulted him. When Gurjar's mother Sirkunwarbai (60) intervened, she was attacked with a sharp weapon. She died on the spot," he said.

Based on a complaint filed by the deceased woman's daughter-in-law, three persons were booked for murder. One of them was held on Saturday, the official added.

A separate case has also been registered against Gurjar for rape, he said.

Police personnel have been deployed in the area in view of tension following the incident, the official added.