Banking transactions across India were paralyzed on Wednesday with around one million bankers staying away from work, affecting the clearance of around four million cheques valued around Rs.250 billion (Rs.25,000 crore), said a union leader.

Thousands of people were stranded across Bihar on Wednesday as trains were stopped and key highways blocked by activists affiliated to various trade unions that have called for a nationwide two-day strike.

The 48-hour nationwide strike called by central trade unions hit normal life across Kerala on Wednesday with workers from varied sectors, including transport and banking, staying away from work to protest the UPA government's economic and labour policies.

Demanding hike in bonus and increase in gratuity limit besides scrapping privatisation policy, employees of UP State Roadways Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) will observe a two-day strike from February 20.

The employees of State Road Transport Corporation under the Voluntary Retirement Scheme on Monday took out a rally demanding clearance of pending dues and arrears.

The bar association of the district court called a day-long strike paralyzing legal work after a Madhya Pradesh High Court (Indore bench) lawyer was arrested on Thursday for allegedly teasing a woman sub-inspector in Vijaynangar area on Wednesday night, the police said.

Bodoland area in lower Assam witnessed fresh trouble with the killing of four persons by armed assailants in Jiaguri even as police arrested a member of Bodoland Territorial Autonomous District in connection with the killing.

The Haryana government said the strike call given by employees of the state roadways in support of their various demands failed to make much impact in the state on Thursday.

Taking note of the conflicting versions of the Delhi Police and Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Home Ministry is likely to order a probe on circumstances leading to the arrest of suspected Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Liyaqat Ali Shah.

Normal life on Saturday resumed in Kashmir after five days of shutdown, curfew in some parts of the Valley, and clashes that left nearly 200 people injured.