Transport strike hits Indian state

Striking commercial transport workers in the northern Indian state of Bihar have taken about 100,000 vehicles off the road.

The Bihar Motor Transport Federation called the indefinite strike to protest against a major rise in road tax.

It says the increases - ranging from 300-1,000% - make it uneconomical for transporters to run their vehicles.

Most of the schools in the state capital, Patna, have shut down because of the strike, and there are fears that food and petrol supplies could be affected if the strike continues.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service