Strike detains Minister Francis for 5 hrs
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, August 06 2015: Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (RD&PR) Minister of Manipur Francis Ngajokpa on Thursday was forced to stay inside the Imphal International Airport complex for over 5 hours as irate protesters blocked all exits and imposed a blocakade along the Tiddim road.

The road from Changangei Uchekon to the Imphal airport was blocked using boulders, electric posts, water pipes, trees, bamboos, broken glasses.

Protesters also blocked the gate of the airport by setting fire to heaps of items.

They squatted in the middle of the road too.

As a result, nobody including media persons could move along the road.

Police came along escorting some passengers to the airport.

They had to fire several shells of tear gas to disperse the people who blocked the road.

The angry mob pelted stone and fired projectiles with slingshots.

Additional Police personnel were immediately rushed to the spot.

They had to fire tear gas shells, smoke bombs against the protsters.

Laishram Amarjit (14), son of L Sobha from Changangei Uchekon was injured after a tear gas shell hit him on his head.

Mutum Rajesh (20) from the same locality was also critically injured after a tear gas shell hit on his right foot.

The enraged swelling crowd then blocked everyone entering or exiting the airport.

At this juncture, Francis Ngajokpa, who landed at the Imphal airport at around 11 am was stranded.

Apart from the Minister, nearly 500 passengers were inside the airport.

The minister was at last rescued along with around 100 passengers and escorted from the airport but nearly 400 passengers were still left behind inside the airport till 4.30 pm on Thursday.

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