48 hrs bandh on, protests start hours earlier
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 04 2015: Hours before the 48 hours bandh called by the JCILPS Students Wing came into effect, protests started in different parts of Imphal to give more teeth to the demand to implement the Inner Line Permit System or a legislation to check the influx of outsiders into Manipur.

After the bandh came into force from 6 pm today, protesters came out on the streets to enforce the restriction on people's movement late into the night.

Protesters came out on Tiddim road late in the evening and set on fire a number of items.

Dharnas were also staged at different parts of Imphal to demand ILPS or a similar mechanism and roads were blocked at different parts.

The protests also erupted at Thangmeiband late in the night.

Police women confronting the women agitators

Earlier in the day confrontation ensued between police and vendors of Ima Keithel today when the women protesters took to the street to protest the alleged high-handedness of police personnel who mishandled student protesters yesterday at the Secretariat complex to demand implementation of ILPS in Manipur.

A large number of women vendors forced shopkeepers to close their business activities.

Women vendors took out a procession from Ima Keithel towards Kangla Gate around 3 pm and marched upto Kangla Pat raising slogans condemning the harsh action of security forces while dispersing student protesters who tried to storm the Secretariat complex yesterday.

They were stopped by a large number of police personnel including women personnel.

Scuffle erupted when police tried to stop the women protesters at different areas along BT road.

Three persons were also injured in the scuffle.

L Inakhunbi from Kakwa and Umar Khan from Thoubal Leishangthem were admitted to RIMS while Y Somola from Thoubal Kiyam Siphai Khong Ahanbi was admitted to Raj Medicity.

It was also reported that a woman police personnel was also injured in the pitched battle.

Police fired several rounds of tear-gas shells, mock bombs and smoke bombs to drive back the women protesters who pelted stones against them.

Water canon was used to disperse the protesters who continued pelting stones.

Later, women protesters blocked the roads and prevented people's movement in the market area.

They even forced security convoy to turn back.

Meanwhile, a large number of women folk who were staging sit-in-protests in different areas along Khuman Lampak Stadium Road (Dingku road) took out a protest rally along the road upto Khongnang Ani Karak.

Womenfolk from different areas of Imphal East including Lairikyengbam Leikai, Laipham Khunou, Chingmeirong and other areas joined the protest rally and raised several slogans condemning the action of security personnel, demanding implementation of Inner Line Permit System and punishment of personnel involved in Sapam Robinhood's killing.

They later formed a long human chain around the traffic island of Khongnang Ani Karak and raised several slogans.

Owing to the protest staged by the womenfolk, traffic movement was halted in the area.

On the other hand, meira paibis staged numerous sit-in-protests in Thangmeiband area.

Naharol Sintha Kanglup and Keithel Asangbi Meira Paibi of Wangkhei staged a sit-in-protest denouncing the action of security personnel and demanded implementation of ILP System in Manipur.