Source: The Sangai Express
Kohima, August 03:
The 24-hour bandh by Naga Students Federation (NSF) to protest the Centre's decision to restrict Naga ceasefire evoked mixed response in Naga inhabited areas of the North-East and paralyzed life in Nagaland's capital Kohima and the commercial town of Dimapur today, reports reaching here said.
The bandh, which began at 6 am, hit life in Zunheboto and Okha but it did not have much impact in Mokokchung, Phek, Tuensang and Mon districts of Nagaland as tribal student organizations there did not support the bandh, official reports said.
At Kohima attendance in offices, including at the State Secretariat was nil, while, public vehicles were off the roads as police patrol was on to avert any incident.
Hundreds of people gathered at Dimapur to attend a protest rally by Dimapur Naga Students Union and other NGOs.
They submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister through the Deputy Commissioner protesting against the Centre's decision to rollback the ceasefire.
The bandh also paralyzed normal life in Senapati, Tamenglong and Ukhrul districts of neighboring Manipur and was partial in Chandel district, students unions and youth organizations, which have left support, claimed.
In Manipur no vehicles plied on the National Highways in the hill districts following the 24hour bandh by NSF and 66-Hour bandh by Manipur Students Federation, reports from Imphal said.
Normal life was reported in the hill towns of Kangpokpi in Senapati district, Pallel and Moreh in Chandel district, several educational institutions remained open in the other hill districts.
Reports received from Guwahati said the bandh partially affected life in parts of Assam's NC Hills district, while Itanagar reports said it did not have any impact in Tirap anal Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
Our Staff Reporter adds that about 3 vehicles bound fur Imphal are stranded at the Nagaland-Manipur border due to the bandh.
A press team including a correspondent of a national paper from Imphal visiting Kohima was detained by bandh enforcers for about two hours on the way.