Normal life was crippled in Imphal Valley districts as Meira Paibi,
a collective of Meitei women, and five local clubs called for a 48-hour bandh
from midnight.
They demanded the release of five youths who were arrested for
carrying firearms and sporting camouflage uniforms, said officials.
Markets and commercial establishments remained closed and few
vehicles plied the roads on Tuesday.
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 many 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.
