Guwahati, Oct. 7 -- A 12-hour shutdown has been called across Arunachal Pradesh's East Siang district on Wednesday to press for action over the shortage of teachers in government schools.

The bandh began at 5 am and will continue until 5 pm, with nine organisations, including the Legong Banggo Students' Union, backing the shutdown.

The organisations are demanding the filling of vacant teaching posts in government schools across East Siang. They have also opposed the recently announced transfer of 63 teachers out of the district, urging the authorities to put the transfers on hold.

The groups said the decision to transfer teachers should be reconsidered in view of the existing vacancies and the shortage of teaching staff in schools acro...