IMPHAL, Sept 19: Normal life was affected in Imphal Valley
districts on Tuesday as Meira Paibi, a collective of Meitei
women, and five local clubs called for a 48-hour bandh from
midnight demanding the release of five youths who were
arrested for carrying firearms and sporting camouflage
uniforms, officials said.
Markets and commercial establishments remained closed
and few vehicles plied the roads on Tuesday morning.
Supplementary examinations of all subjects of class 10 board
exams of Board of Secondary Education, Manipur, scheduled
on Tuesday and Wednesday, were cancelled in view of the
bandh. Those will be rescheduled at a later date.
On Monday, Meira Paibis blocked several important roads at
Khurai and Kongba in Imphal East district, Kakwa in Imphal
West district, Nambol in Bishnupur district and parts of
Thoubal district demanding the release of the youths.
Manipur Police had arrested five persons on Saturday for
carrying sophisticated weapons and donning camouflage
uniforms. In a statement, police said the five had been
produced before the judicial magistrate and remanded to
police custody.
Yumnam Hitler, president of All Langthabal Kendra United
Clubs Coordinating Committee, said, “The five arrested
youths are civilians and village volunteers who have been
guarding their respective villages from attacks by Kuki Zo
militants as security forces have failed to do their job
properly. We want them to be released unconditionally.”
“The agitation will intensify if the government fails to release
them,” Yumnam added.
On Saturday, protesters had tried to storm the Porompat
police station demanding the release of the five youths
prompting security forces to fire several rounds of teargas
shells. Few protesters and a RAF personnel received minor
injuries during the stand-off. (PTI)
