Gen strike floors Manipur for second day
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 04 2009: With the 48 hours general strike called by the Working Committee of the Apunba Lup enforced even more stringently on the second day, the State was virtually under siege throughout today.

At Khurai, the native place of Sanjit, there was a rain of catapult projectiles between police and strike supporters.

Three women leaders who came to petition the Governor in connection with the killing of Sanjit, were arrested by police this afternoon before they could meet the Governor.

Police take up positions to charge against the strike supporters, with their shields

The women activists arrested by police have been identified as Ph Sakhi, L Nganbi and Y Bedamani.

In a symbolic protest movement against the July 23 BT Road firing incident, effigies of Chief Minister O Ibobi and DGP Y Joykumar were hanged and later cremated at Khurai Kongpal Sajor Leikai.

A large number of people who out a protest rally from Khurai Sajor Leikai and proceeded to Lamlong Bazar were dispersed by police using mock bombs and tear gas shells.

The protesters responded with catapult projectiles aimed at the police personnel resulting in an exchange of sling shots between the two sides.

The exchange lasted for around one hour and catapult projectiles were literally raining in the area.

Later, police pushed back the protesters using bullet-proof vehicles.

They also managed to nab four protesters.

Three other protesters also sustained injuries from tear gas shells and mock bombs.

Similar action of police caused injuries to another five protesters at Thangmeiband and Khoyathong.

At Nagamapal, five women and one man were injured in a face off with the police today evening, when they were fired upon with tear gas shells.

Following the charge of the cops, the women broke up and some of them took cover in a shop, which had its shutter slightly pulled up.

The pursuing police commandos, then lobbed some tear gas shells into the shop through the slightly ajar shutter.

The six injured persons were taken to RIMS and the five women were discharged after first aid.

The man however has been referred to the ENT ward of the hospital.

Almost all major roads of Imphal and greater Imphal area including NC Road, Tidim Road, Wangkhei Road and Singjamei Road were blocked at several points using trees/timber, boulders and burning tyres.

Police using tear gas shells and mock bombs were a common sight at different places.

General strike supporters burnt tyres and other materials at Kwakeithel before they were driven away by police using tear gas shells.

Khagempalli road was also blocked.

Similar road blocks were also put up along Singjamei-Kakwa road and SingjameiKongba road.

A large number of strike supporters were driven back by police at Wangkhei road.

Mobile police teams were doing rounds of all the major roads of Imphal and greater Imphal area and they pushed back and tried to dispersed all crowds who came out in support of the 48 hours strike.

Police drove back one such crowd of bandh supporters at Lamsang using tear gas shells.

Except for a few private vehicles, no public transport system operated in the State.

However, flight service was not affected.

On the other hand, heavy security deployment could be seen on all the important roads.

Except the Secretariat, attendance in Government offices was very low.

Demanding befitting punishment of all the commandos involved in the Khwairamband Market killing of July 23 as well as resignation of Chief Minister for his inability to protect lives of people, a protest rally was taken out at Kumbi today.

Just as in other parts of the State, Kumbi Police took up stringent security measures at Kumbi Bazar.

Challenging the security measures, a large number of people under the joint aegis of the Kumbi Apunba Nupi Lup, Apunba Nupi Lup Lamangdong Bishnupur District Wangoo Branch, Kumbi Branch, Kumbi Mayai Leikai Women Association, Terakhong Meira Paibi Nupi Lup and Thanga Lawai Sabal Leikai Meira Paibi took out a protest rally from Kumbi Leirak Achouba.

Slogans like "we condemn Khwairamband killing", "we condemn killing civilians", "punish commandos involved in killing civilians", "Resign, Chief Minister O Ibobi" etc were shouted all along the course of the rally.

On approaching Kumbi Bazar, the rallyists were blocked by police.

Women vendors of Nambol Bazar also denounced the Khwairamband killing chanting similar slogans.

All vehicular traffic was also blocked at Lamsang and Khumbong areas.

At several areas, tyres were burnt, timbers placed across roads, and phaneks hang up in the middle of roads.

Although police managed to disperse the agitating crowd, they came back soon after the police left and continued with their agitation.

A 40 year old woman sustained injuries when police fired tear gas shells, mock bombs and rubber bullets to drive back strike supporters at Khumbong.

At Sagolband, protesters burnt effigies of Chief Minister O Ibobi and DGP Y Joykumar.

They also inscribed the words "there is no other option than to kill Ibobi" on the chest of the CM's effigy.

On the effigy of the DGP, the words "you must die just as you killed innocent civilians" were emblazoned.