Source: The Imphal Free Press
Imphal, September 09:
A total of 19 Imphal-bound passenger vehicles including buses, jeeps and Tata Sumos, have been stranded at Senapati today owing to the bandh imposed by the Senapati District Students Union in protest against the assault on some students by IRB personnel at Senapati on September 7 last.
According to reports from the district headquarters, the passengers are staying overnight at the Senapati mini stadium playground along with their vehicles.
The additional DGP, C Peter Ngaihanyu, and other police and MR officials, held negotiations with leaders of the SDSU this evening but failed to persuade them to left the bandh.
An indeterminate number of vehicles are also reported to be still at Mao gate.
Earlier today, vehicles coming in from Guwahati and Shillong unaware of the bandh called by the SDSU were prevented from proceeding further by the Mao police.
Representatives of the stranded drivers and passengers appealed to the OC Mao to provide security in the Senapati area, but the latter declined, speaking to the IFP, the OC said no security could be arranged till tomorrow.
As the bandh called by the SDSU was indefinite many of the passengers were worried that they might be stranded at Mao for a long time if no security measures were taken.
Some passengers suggested that the vehicles proceed to Imphal via Jessami and Ukhrul, but the idea was vetoed by the drivers.
Our reporter, who managed to make his way to Imphal on a two wheeler, said the bandh was concentrated particularly in the Senapati district headquarters and the Taphou area.
Groups of local people and students were seen putting up roadblocks at least four different places on the highway.