Partial bandh continues
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 17 2016:
In pursuance of the popular demand for conversion of the three Bills passed by the Manipur Legislative Assembly on August 31 last year into Acts, Imphal-Dimapur highway was blocked from Chingmeirong to Sekmai today as done on many other routes since the past few days.
Apart from blocking the highway, sit-in-protests were staged at different points.
People came out in groups and blocked the highway at different points starting from 1 pm.
Movement of vehicles as well as people were blocked at Chingmeirong, Sangak-pham, Mantripukhri, Khabam Lamkhai, Luwangsangbam, Koirengei, Khonghampat, Pheidinga, Tendongyan, Maharabi and Awang Sekmai.
Tyres were burnt and bamboos and timbers were put across the highway at these points.
A speeding Maruti van was halted and vandalised by bandh supporters at Nilakuthi.
Even vehicles of security forces were blocked at Khabam Lamkhai.
At the end of the bandh, human chains were formed at different places.
The bandh supporters shouted slogans like "All the three Bills passed by the State Assembly should be converted into Acts", "Outsiders should not contest elections and cast votes in Manipur", "All outsiders should be deleted from the State's electoral roll", "Long Live Manipur" etc.
Placards embossed with similar words were also put up at the protest sites.
However, there was no report of any untoward incident.
It has been reported that a similar protest agitation would be staged tomorrow along Tiddim road from Keishampat to Malom.