Normal activities paralysed for second day
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 12 2019:
All normal activities were suspended for the second day today as intense modes of protest demonstrations were staged at different places amidst curfew imposed in Imphal West and Imphal East districts since last midnight.
Notwithstanding the curfew, people came out to the streets in large number and vociferously protested against CAB 2016.Women vendors staged sit-in-protest at Khwairamband Keithel too.
All shops and commercial establishments of Thangal Keithel, Paona Keithel, Nagamapal, Uripok and Thangmeiband remained shut today as well.
Lamlong, Konung Mamang, Kongba, Singjamei and Kwakeithel markets too wore totally deserted looks.
All inter-State and inter-district transport services stayed off roads.
Police barricades were put up at different places including Moirangkhom, Keishamthong and Konung Mamang.
A large number of police and paramilitary forces were deployed at different places of Imphal and greater Imphal areas.
However, flight services were not affected.
But many flight passengers were left stranded inside Imphal International Airport as Tiddim Road was blocked at different points between the airport gate and Keishampat.
Thick columns of smoke covered Tiddim Road from Dhobi Machu Leirak till the airport gate.
Police fired innumerable rounds of tear gas shells and smoke bombs in their efforts to drive away protesters at Kwakeithel.
The protest demonstration staged near the airport gate grew more intense as one police officer used offensive words against women protesters there.
Infuriated by the offensive words of the police officer, the protesters put up a banner embossed with the words "We oppose CAB" right on the airport gate and put a large tree trunk right across the gate.
There too, police resorted to heavy shelling of tear gas and smoke bombs.
Billboards having pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister N Biren which were put up on the median of Tiddim Road were uprooted and set ablaze.
Another poster containing pictures of the PM and the CM put up near Hodam Leirak was also removed and set ablaze.
On the other hand, the air passengers stranded at Imphal airport were evacuated by Imphal West District Police at around 6 pm .