IMPHAL, March 15: Normal life, particularly business activities in almost all the major markets across the valley districts of strife-hit Manipur, was hit by the 48-hour bandh imposed in protest against arrest of three members of UNLF (P) including two top leaders by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Meanwhile, the civil society organisations sponsoring the bandh on Friday announced cutting short the agitation to 24 hours. The bandh will be over at midnight on Friday.
As many as 12 civil society organizations endorsed the bandh announced by the Federation of Civil Society Organizations (FOCS)
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Coupled with the commencement of the final exam of Class-X conducted by the Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BoSEM), traffic was almost normal in the early hours of the general strike.
However, shops and other business centres downed their shutters in support of the general strike.
In the morning, a large number of vendors were seen transacting their business in the markets in Imphal and its outskirts including the iconic all-women-run markets. However, bandh supporters forced them to suspend their business.
At some places, protesters also blocked the movement of vehicles while giving relaxation to the essential services related with the exam.
In Bishnupur and Thoubal districts, the normal vehicle movement was severely affected as a large number of strike supporters came out on the roads, mainly on the main roads connecting other districts and imposed the general strike.
In Bishnupur district, strike supporters shattered windshields of many vehicles.
The FOCS and 12 other organisations called the general strike while pressing to release the three members of the UNLF(P) immediately without any conditions.
A team of NIA officials assisted by the state and the central forces arrested the three members including the army chief of UNLF(P) and its intelligence chief from Imphal’s Kwakeithel area on March 13.
They were later taken to New Delhi by a special flight of the Indian Air Force.
Reportedly, the NIA has taken them into their custody for 10 days after producing them in a special NIA court in Delhi on the same day.
The Pambei-led UNLF had signed a peace deal with the Government of India on November 29, 2023. Later, the leaders and cadres of the faction were felicitated by the state government with a grant function held at Kangla Fort in Imphal on December 2 last year.
Although the 48-hour bandh has been cut down to 24 hours, various democratic forms of protests seeking the release of the three arrested members will continue, a statement issued by FOCS. (NNN)
