Imphal, August 05: The ongoing agitation demanding the revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958 from Manipur in the wake of the custodial killing of Thangjam Manorama Devi continues io gain momentum as several section of the society expressing solidarity with the movement took part in agitation.

While State Government employees resorted to mass casual leave today symbolizing the ever growing number of stiff opposition to the repressive Act, sports-persons who attempted to take out a protest rally were engaged in a confrontation with police personnel at Telipati area today.

The rallyists numbering about 500 sports-persons including national and international level competitors converged at Khuman Lampak Sports Complex at around 7 am and began to snake out from the southern gate of the Complex to march towards Lamlpng Keithel after passing through Minuthong.

As the rallyists rejected the security personnel's instruction to wind up the protest and return through the Telipati bailey bridge, the cops resorted to firing rubber bullets and tear gas shells to foil the protest.

During the chaos several young sports-persons, who are regular trainees fell into the river while trying to escape the police crackdown through the narrow bridge even as two female boxers suffered injuries and had to be hospitalized.

Infuriated at the denial for peaceful protest, the agitators also pelted stones at the security personnel from the opposite side of the river.

As part of the ongoing campaign tp demand removal of AFSPA volunteers of Manipur Forward Youth Front sealed the ticket booking counter of Indian Airlines located at MG Avenue today afternoon at around 1.30.The MAFYF activists numbering about eight barged inside the Airlines office premise and sealing the ticket counter shouted slogans at the gate before Lamphel police station personnel arrived at the scene and arrested five of them.

The arrested agitators were detained at the City Control police station.

Mention may be made that the organization had announced movement to severe all forms of air and surface link with the Indian mainland and urged employees of Air, truck, bus and train service related operators to cease work as solidarity to the ongoing agitation.

As part of the mass court arrest agitation to demand punishment of Manorama's killers and lifting of AFSPA from Manipur hundreds of women vendors of Luxmi Bazar, Ima Keithel and Nupa Keithel of Khwairamband bazar marched and shouted slogans at near City Control police station at around 1 pm today.

The agitators who congregated at the Ima Keithel sneaked through Alu Gali towards MG Avenue from where the security personnel herded the agitators into a security bus to evacuate them from the site to an undisclosed location.

Several number of slogan shouting student protestors were also arrested from near the official residence of CM O Ibobi Singh today as part of the mass court arrest movement call given by the 32 organizations spearheading the agitation in the wake of Manorama's killing.

The agitators who began the march from near the Board of Secondary Education, Manipur office premise were halted by personnel of Imphal West district police and later herded to Imphal police station.

Members of Literary Organizations' Forum, Manipur a common platform of the literary organizations took out a silent rally from Brahmapur Nahabam Basketball Court till Bheigyachandra Open Air Theatre, Palace Compound of Imphal East district to denounce AFSPA, killing of Manorama, punishment of guilty security personnel as well as to protest destruction of public property today.

Later, the Forum representatives also submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister drawing his attention to the ongoing democratic mass movement of the people of Manipur for withdrawl of draconian laws.

The memorandum strongly denouncing the' brutal killing of pastor Jamkholet Khongsai and Manorama also demanded immediate revocation of AFSPA as the Act has become ruthless weapon for the security personnel to perpetrate torture of innocent civilians, rape and other forms of rights violation.

The Forum also desired active initiation from both the State and Central Govts to create a favorable atmosphere to talks with insurgent groups.

Sit-in-protest was also staged under the aegis of All Manipur Muslim Coordinating Committee at Lilongfrom 10 am but police personnel arrived soon after and dispersed the congregation using rubber bullets and tear gas.

Infuriated at the police action the agitators numbering about 200 burnt effigies of Chief Minister and some Central leaders.

Police also foiled in similar fashion second attempt by the agitators to stage protest.

Similar protest was also staged by teaching staffs and students of The National Children's School, Khongman yesterday.

Meanwhile, Lamlong Higher Secondary School strongly condemned security personnel's excesses to foil student demonstrators at Thangmeiband College Gate area yesterday.

In a press release, the school's student union decried rubber bullet injury inflicted to four students and bursting of tear gas amidst detained students at Khurai Lamlong Bridge.

The Union also informed that the school students staged sit-in-protest at the school gate today and pledged continued support to the ongoing movement till the demands are conceded.

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