Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 19:
Normal life remained disrupted in the State for the third consecutive day today due to the indefinite general strike called by Apunba Lup spearheading the movement for removal of AFSPA from Manipur.
All market places, business establishment and educational institutions, market places and other business remained closed.
Public and private transport services to outside and within the State as well as other vehicular movements on the roads remained suspended putting the day-to-day activities to a grinding halt for the third consecutive day.
The streets of Imphal and Kwairamband Bazar, which is considered as hub of the town also looked deserted.
Attendance in the Government offices was also reportedly thin.
The Apunba Lup has imposed the indefinite general strike in the wake of the self immolation act by a youth activist.
The Apunba Lup had given the agitation call till the funeral of youth identified as Pebam Chittaranjan is completed.
However, as no solution could be arrived between the Lup and the State Govt over the former's insistent of talking out a funeral procession, the Govt had cremated the body of the youth at the Hatta Minuthong public crematorium yesterday after declaring it as an unclaimed body.
There are no reports of any untoward incident during the general strike; there were reports of skirmishes and confrontation between the agitators blocking the roads and the police personnel filing in from different parts of the State.
At Kwakeithel area along Sega Road, police resorted to firing tear gas shells and rubber bullets when agitated local people came out to block the road with burning of waste tyres and broken glasses.
Police personnel pulled up some local youths and forced them to clean up the debris piled up on the road.
Similar scene where also witnessed at Singjamei, Thangmeiband as well as other parts of the State where apart from tyre burning and scattering broken glasses, womenfolk blocked the road with phaneks.