IMPHAL, July 22: The 18-hour Manipur bandh called by Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC) from midnight July 21 ended at 6 pm today with normal life in Kuki dominated areas of the state being completely paralyzed. No bandh related untoward incident has been reported.
The Kuki-dominated Churachandpur district and Sadar Hills areas reported complete shut down with inter-district passenger buses staying off the road. Businesses and educational institutions also remained closed in these areas. However, Imphal valley and Naga dominated areas of the state remained unaffected by the bandh.
According to a report, bandh supporters put logs and debris on the otherwise empty Imphal-Churachandpur road and no inter-district passenger busses operated from Imphal to Churachandpur and Senapati during the bandh.
Kuki State Demand Committee called the 18-hour statewide bandh in an attempt to put pressure to the authorities on its continuing demand for a separate “Kuki State” under the Constitution of India.
It was also an act of extending solidarity and support for the rights of village chiefs which are allegedly being deprived by the state government, according to a statement by the committee.