A 12-hour bandh in Assam’s Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts called by Moran and Motok organisations demanding ST status for the two communities has brought life to a standstill on Monday, with all business establishments, offices and other institutions remaining closed.

Thousands of agitators blocked the main roads in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia towns and stopped vehicular movement along the national highways despite the district administrations promulgating prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in entire districts.