Demanding purchase of maize by Mandis in the district at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) decided by the government hundreds of farmers took to the streets and observed a 12-hour bandh. As a symbolic protest the agitating farmers spilled tonnes of corns on the road at Bhandara Gharani Square and resorted to sloganeering against the district administration. They also staged road blockades at different places in the Nabarangpur town protesting the alleged apathy by the district collector towards their demand. Several farmers’ body in the district gave the bandh call today after a number of Mandis denied to purchase maize at the decided MSP of Rs 1,425 per quintal recently. Citing the decline in maize price at the international market the Mandis kept the MSP at Rs 1,100 arbitrarily.