Imphal, April 15: Vehicular traffic along the IndoMyanmar road came to a brief standstill as irate locals of Tekcham resorted to wildcat strike today by blocking the normally busy route at Khongjom area in protest against the killing of a widow recently and failure of the Government to nab the guilty person/s involved in the gruesome murder.

According to reports, 3/4 vehicles were damaged during the agitation even as a large number of vehicles hurried back from the trouble zone.

The agitators were, however, dispersed with the arrival of security personnel who burst tear-gas canisters and fired rubber bullets.

One 50 year old Langpoklakpam Maipakpi suffered injuries in the police action.

The agitation was undertaken under the banner of the JAC formed in the backdrop of recovery of the lifeless body of Laishram Shantibala alias Inaothoibi (24) near her parental home in Tekcham Mayai leikai on April 10 .

With the JAC's deadline to produce the murderer/s lapsing yesterday and coupled with the fact that a religious ritual of Shantibala (ashti sanchay) was held today, the people apparently were emotionally drained and impromptu enforced the road blockade agitation to denounce alleged inefficiency of the state machinery to pull up the anti-social elements.

While shantibala's body was recovered with tell-tale signs of strangulation marks her husband, L Rojen of Tentha Tuwanband village was reportedly slain some two years back with the killers later alleging the husband of being an informer.

Adding to the Tekcham people's angst is the announcement of the State authorities that two persons in police custody are merely suspects.

The agitated mindset of the local residents had been vividly summed up by the JAc secretary Soibam Prabin who insisted that "We have learnt that police pulled up one person in connection with the killing while another surrendered.

But in a meeting the police told JAC leaders that both are mere suspects".

Under such contradictory stand of the Government the JAC is left with no other option but pursue intense agitation till the culprits are arrested as was contained in memorandum placed before the Government, Prabin maintained.