ATSUM stir evokes mixed response:: 9 trucks damaged, 14 bandh supporters arrested
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN
Imphal, June 03 2013:
The All Tribal Students Union, Manipur (ATSUM) sponsored 38 hours total bandh has mixed reactions in the hill districts of Manipur today.
Ukhrul district and Churachandpur district witnessed strong response to the ATSUM bandh but Senapati and Chandel district headquarters failed to respond to the bandh call.
However, transport system between Tamenglong and Imphal was halted today due to the bandh.
ATSUM leaders claimed that around 9 trucks plying along NH-2 were damaged today by their volunteers.
Tyres were burnt in some pockets of Imphal by ATSUM volunteers this morning.
Regarding the inter-state transport system along the National Highway-2, the number of passenger buses and heavy goods vehicles were very less today but passenger vehicles like Tata Winger and Tata Sumo were plying between Imphal and Dimapur as usual.
However, no vehicular movement was seen along the Imphal-Silchar road (NH-37) due to the bandh.
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The inter-district transporter systems between Imphal and Ukhrul and between Imphal and Churachandpur were halted totally for the day.
Shops and other business activities were also did not function in the district headquarters of Ukhrul and Churachandpur but there were no bandh impact in the district headquarters of Senapati and Chandel.
Some shops were seen opened in Tamenglong district headquarters, reports reaching here said.
Meanwhile, 9 volunteers of All Tribal Disabled Union, Manipur (ATDUM) were arrested by police while the activists were imposing bandh at Kanglatongbi area.
They were taken to Sekmai police station this morning but four were released this evening, reports said.
On the other hand, Information and Publicity Secretary of ATSUM Micah Kamei has stated that ATSUM is encouraged to see the tremendous support from all the Hill Districts except in some part of Senapati District in enforcing the 38 hours intense agitation coded name ROTO (Reckoning of the other) with effect from 5:00am of June 3rd to 7:00pm of June 4th.2013 .
"We are grateful beyond measure for the prompt response of the people.
We shall not give-up or yield to any inducement or pleasure from within or without.
We are proud of our active supporters who have been arrested today while enforcing ROTO.
Five (5) Volunteers from Churachandpur and nine (9) from Sadar Hill Areas (Kanglatongbi) were picked-up by Churachandpur Police with VDF and Imphal Police and Assam Rifle respectively at around 2:00pm.The five arrested Volunteers in Churachandpur are from the Churachandpur District Students' Union (CDSU) and those from Kanglatongbi are from the All Tribal Disable Union Manipur (ATDUM) with a Zeliangrong Students' Union Manipur (ZSUM) delegate.
Presently they are languishing in Sekmai Police Lock-up (Jail), we demand that these Volunteer be released immediately without further delay.
It is disturbing to see the insensitive posture of the Manipur Government," Kamei.
"It will be a futile exercise if the Govt.is thinking about suppressing the movement by brute force.
We once against appeal our leaders specially the State Legislature from the Hills to speak out and prove their commitment to the people.
We shall not rest until our legitimate demands are fulfilled", Kamei said.