38-hr JAC strike hits valley districts
Life thrown out of gear on first day; Most towns wore a deserted look: Vehicles were off the roads
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, July 28 2015: Normal life was thrown out of gear in most parts of Manipur Valley following the 38-hour general strike called by Joint Action Committee against the alleged killing of Sapam Robinhood on July 8 .

Protesting against the failure to suspend the "trigger happy policemen" who were allegedly involved in the killing, the JAC had called the strike from 5 am on Tuesday till 7 pm on Wednesday.

Men, women and students came out on the streets to enforce the strike.

Though some private cars managed leave Imphal before 5 am trucks, buses and other vehicles were stranded leaving many passengers in the lurch.

Within minutes of announcement of the general strike on Monday, price of air ticket had been doubled since it was a known fact that passengers will opt for air travel in the two days of gridlock.

38-hr JAC strike hits valley districts

All oil pumps, markets, commercial centres, banks were shutdown and vehicles were off the road.

The attendance in government offices was almost nil.

The government had earlier shut down all educational institutes in a vain bid to contain the movement.

Tyres were burned and logs and branches were used to block the roads.

Activists also did not permit vendors to sell anything at the Pishum and other markets.

There are reports of stand offs between the police and activists at several places.

Hueiyen Lanpao reporters who visited several places in two districts found that normal life was disrupted.

Women activists blocked the roads everywhere.

There were sit-in protests at several places.

The transporters at Wangngu also staged a sit in protest.

There were traffic obstructions at Shamurou market.

At Wangngu, the transporters brought out their vehicles for a massive rally.

No vehicle plied along the Imphal Jiribam highway.

At night, there were torchlight processions during which the women shouted slogans demanding implementation of Inner Line Permit System in the state.

However there was no report of any untoward incident.

Police had beefed up security measures in all trouble prone areas.

Angry crowd pulls down house; torches vehicle A house was dismantled and a Honda Activa scooter set on fire by an angry crowd after a woman reportedly made negative remarks against the ILP agitation at Khurai Telipatti in Imphal East on Tuesday.

The incident happened at about 3:30 pm.

The woman from Khurai Telipatti allegedly told a tea stall owner at Khurai Ahongei that the ILP movement would not bear fruit.

A crowd quickly gathered near the tea stall and then stormed her house asking her to tender an apology for the remarks.

38-hr JAC strike hits valley districts

However, she refused to come out and remained locked inside the house.

Then a team from Imphal East Police Station rushed there and whisked away the woman and her husband in a police vehicle.

Enraged, the crowd started attacking the house.

They also torched a Honda Activa scooter and some properties in the courtyard.

Meanwhile, the Vaishaya Youth Club, Telipatti in a press statement said the incident occurred at Khurai Telipatti on Tuesday has no connection with the ILP movement and that the matter has been resolved.

The statement said the settlement was brought during a joint meeting of Vaishaya Youth Club, Eastern Educational Club, Khurai Ahongei Thangjam Leikai Meira Paibi Lup and Khurai Area ILPS Coordinating Body at Telipati Kalimai Mandir.